During the pandemic crisis, President Jair Bolsonaro has distinguished himself as arguably the biggest Covid-19 denialist in the world. He compared the disease to the “sniffles,” said social isolation was useless against the coronavirus, promoted unproven treatments, and incited supporters to break into hospitals and “film empty beds.” In his mind, this would prove that the crisis is being blown out of proportion in a stunt to destabilize his administration. All that despite growing numbers of infections and deaths.
Now, Jair Bolsonaro is one of the 1.6 million people in Brazil to have contracted the novel coronavirus. And he hopes to turn his diagnosis into a political weapon.
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