Senate President to meet with vaccine producers

Newly-elected Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco said he will meet with executives from vaccine manufacturers to discuss how Brazil can speed up its immunization effort. 

On February 22, Mr. Pacheco is scheduled to have virtual meetings with representatives from Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, in a push to “make it easier” for the federal government to reach purchasing agreements with both pharmaceutical giants.

Mr. Pacheco claimed that his efforts to collaborate with the government do not mean that he won’t hold Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello accountable for past mistakes. “[Mr. Pazuello] will have his political, moral, and legal trial. But right now, we must come together to solve the problem,” said the Senate president.

Members of Jair Bolsonaro’s opposition in the Senate filed a request to launch a parliamentary hearings committee to investigate the government’s handling of the pandemic. The committee can only kick off proceedings with a green light from Mr. Pacheco.

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