President Jair Bolsonaro only recovered from Covid-19 on July 27, but has already returned to his old habit of publicly flouting social distancing guidelines. Mr. Bolsonaro was seen today meeting crowds of supporters in Bagé, a city in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The president was in the city for the launch of a residential complex funded by the federal government. However, he used the opportunity to praise the curative powers of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug the president claims aided his recovery from Covid-19. Despite the president’s claims, there remains no scientific evidence of the drug’s efficiency in the treatment of the coronavirus.
Mr. Bolsonaro held the drug aloft, as if anointing the drug as the “cure” to Covid-19 in Lion King-esque fashion. He was also spotted carrying a child in his arms, while frequently removing his mask throughout his public appearance.
Since his initial Covid-19 diagnosis, several members of the president’s inner circle have also tested positive for the disease, a likely reflection of the widespread disdain for social distancing measures within Mr. Bolsonaro’s government.
Yesterday, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro tested positive for Covid-19, less than a week after Mr. Bolsonaro claimed he was cured.
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