Coronavirus

Lower house expected to resume in-person sittings in coming months

lower house speaker rodrigo maia brazil
Rodrigo Maia. Photo: AG.CAM.

House Speaker Rodrigo Maia stated that Brazil’s lower house is expected to resume its regular activities by late May, or early June, which would mean a return to gathering in person for congressional sittings. However, this move will be conditioned to the state of the Covid-19 outbreak in Brasília. As of Tuesday evening, the federal capital posted the ninth highest rate of infections per 1 million people (416), and the 13th highest death rate, with 9.6 casualties for every 1 million people.

Mr. Maia stressed the need for a “rational debate” about the need for social isolation across the country. He pointed out that the situation cannot be addressed in a universal approach for the whole country, given the dramatic differences between Brazil’s regions.