Happy Friday! Today: we get a behind-the-scenes look at the Covid inquiry’s final report, set to attribute 11 crimes to President Bolsonaro. And Mexico plans to tighten up visa requirements for Brazilians amid an increase in illegal U.S. immigration.
⚠️ Exclusive: Covid inquiry wants to change impeachment law
On Thursday evening, Brasília correspondent Amanda Audi sat down for a one-to-one talk with Renan Calheiros, the rapporteur of the Senate’s Covid inquiry. He is set to present his final report to his peers on Tuesday, but shared some of the core points we should expect to see.
Why it matters. Currently 1,047-pages long, the report attributes 11 crimes to President Jair Bolsonaro — suggesting not only his indictment, but also that of his former Chief of Staff and current Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto — and suggests altering Brazil’s impeachment law in order to facilitate Mr. Bolsonaro’s ousting.
The crimes. Strongly worded throughout, the report accuses the president of:
- Causing a deadly epidemic;
- Infringing prophylactic health measures;
- Illegally using public funds;
- Inciting crimes (against public health);
- Falsifying documents;
- Charlatanism;
- Malfeasance;
- Genocide against indigenous communities;
- Crimes against humanity;
- Impeachable offenses (an umbrella term in Brazil covering illicit acts committed...