Bolsonaro between a rock and a hard place over government whip

Even after a string of crises since taking office in January 2019, the Jair Bolsonaro government now appears to be in the throes of its most severe scandal to date. A series of revelations involving dodgy vaccine deals and corruption allegations have left the administration reeling, all surrounding one key figure of the government’s support base: House whip Ricardo Barros.

The congressman was first roped into the vaccine imbroglio on Friday, when his House colleague Luis Miranda told the Senate’s Covid inquiry about a meeting he held with President Bolsonaro to flag up inconsistencies concerning a Health Ministry contract to purchase the Indian-made Covaxin vaccine.

Upon being told of the suspicions surrounding the immunizer purchase, Mr. Bolsonaro allegedly blamed the scandal on Ricardo Barros. “That’s another one of his. I can’t take it any more,” Mr. Miranda claims was the president’s response.

Now, speculation is rife in Congress that Mr. Barros may lose his job as House whip. “The minimum that should happen, given the president admits the meeting took place, is that the government’s whip should be fired,” said Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, vice-chair of the Covid hearings committee. “But nothing has been done.”

Mr. Barros says he is willing to speak before the Senate inquiry and is expected to be summoned for a deposition next week. For the government’s support base in Congress, Mr. Barros needs his...