We’re covering the “political quarantine” Congress wants to impose on Jair Bolsonaro. The second “Bloody Monday” in as many weeks. Brazil’s possible underreporting of Covid-19. And the search for a vaccine.
Important
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Political quarantine for Bolsonaro
Congressional leaders in Brasília see President Jair Bolsonaro not as a leader who will steer the country away from a looming crisis, but rather as an obstacle to public health policies. They have decided to manage the Covid-19 crisis without Mr. Bolsonaro, as they don’t trust his honesty nor decision-making skills. Sources in Brasília say the president’s decision to join anti-Congress protests on Sunday amid a pandemic has pushed his relationship with lawmakers to a point beyond repair.
Why it matters. Heads of Congress hope that Mr. Bolsonaro will at least sanction the bills passed by lawmakers to cushion the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak. But the president has shown signs that he wants confrontation.
Quarantine. By politically inoculating the president, establishment leaders want to suppress talk about impeachment to avoid even more political turmoil. As we...