Bolsonaro strategy to muffle the Senate’s Covid hearings

The Covid hearings are set for a busy week, with the highly-anticipated depositions of five current and former health officials: President Jair Bolsonaro’s four pandemic Health Ministers and the head of Brazil’s health regulatory agency. As we explained in our May 3 Weekly Report, this week is riddled with opportunities to embarrass the government in public. However, while Mr. Bolsonaro’s allies sought to obstruct the inquiry’s sittings last week, this time the president has found a way to create havoc without directly clashing with lawmakers.

Over the weekend, Communications Minister Fábio Faria sent a last-minute letter to Congress requesting permission to use one of the Senate’s function rooms on Wednesday to host the so-called “Digital Day,” gathering representatives from major telecoms players coveting Brazil’s upcoming 5G auction. Representatives from Nokia, Samsung, Ericsson, and Huawei will each have their own stand.

The letter highlights which cabinet members will be present, besides Mr. Bolsonaro and Mr. Faria themselves. They will be sided by Chief of Staff Luiz Eduardo Ramos, Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto, Foreign Minister Carlos França, and Institutional Security head Augusto Heleno.

The event was planned to take place in the presidential palace, and the change of venue...