Not wearing masks a badge of honor in Bolsonaro’s government

As soon as Jair Bolsonaro was diagnosed with Covid-19, a slew of government authorities rushed to the hospital to get tested themselves. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Brazilian president has simply refused to wear a face mask, particularly when the cameras are not rolling. And he has made a question of shaking hands or hugging everyone he meets, going against the World Health Organization’s hygiene guidelines. According to Mr. Bolsonaro’s official schedule, he met with at least 57 people in the past week — 17 of them while not wearing any protective gear.

Like hydroxychloroquine or social isolation measures, the president’s supporters have transformed the use of face masks into another culture war.

In fact, for many in the Bolsonaro administration, not wearing a mask is a badge of honor. Former Education Minister Abraham Weintraub, for instance, was fined BRL 2,000 by local authorities in Brasília for attending a demonstration without using one, a punishment to which he responded with derision. On Wednesday, President Bolsonaro himself was...