Government’s plan for herd immunity “destroyed” Brazil, says head of pandemic inquiry

“For two crimes, one against Brazilians’ lives, and another against Brazilians’ health.” This is the response of Senator Omar Aziz, head of the ongoing Covid inquiry, when asked how the upper house of Congress would seek to prosecute far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s government after its mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking to The Brazilian Report on Monday, Mr. Aziz referred to evidence showing that the federal administration pursued a failed strategy to reach herd immunity in Brazil, leading to the deaths of over half a million people so far.

“Preaching herd immunity and not taking the necessary health measures without a sanitary protocol in Brazil, that’s what destroyed us,” he explains.

Among the evidence cited by Mr. Aziz was a live broadcast published on President Bolsonaro’s social media channels last week. In the video — which was viewed over 226,000 times on YouTube and 774,000 times on Facebook — Mr. Bolsonaro says that contamination with the coronavirus is a more effective deterrent against Covid-19 than vaccination. “It is scientifically proven that Brazil made a huge mistake in not focusing on vaccines and instead pursuing herd immunity,” says Mr. Aziz.

The chairman of the Senate’s hearings committee says that they will issue requests for representatives of YouTube and Facebook to appear before the inquiry. “Donald Trump was banned from Twitter for much less.”

Omar Aziz is known for his experience, with over 21 years in public office, including a stint as governor of his home state of Amazonas. He declares himself independent, neither supporting...