Cast aside, former Health Minister threatens Bolsonaro administration

Between March 15 and 23, the Brazilian government operated under a bizarre arrangement in which it effectively had two Health Ministers. Outgoing Eduardo Pazuello continued to lurk around government functions as a moribund presence, flanked by the incoming Marcelo Queiroga — who had yet to take office but was speaking as the de facto cabinet minister. Brazilian lawmakers complained, saying that a country with two Health Ministers is a country with none.

The overlap was down to President Jair Bolsonaro’s need to find an “honorable way out” for Mr. Pazuello, after he had diligently followed Mr. Bolsonaro’s disastrous pandemic response plan for the better part of a year. The plan was to find another cabinet position for the retired Army general, in order to maintain his immunity against prosecution.

Brazil’s cabinet and all federal elected officials can only be put under investigation by the Federal Prosecution Office — which has been extremely docile to President Bolsonaro — and put on trial at the Supreme Court. Mr. Pazuello is facing a probe for allegedly allowing hospitals...