Data compiled by the Health Ministry and local health officials show that Brazil has reached the mark of 600,000 confirmed deaths caused by Covid-19. The milestone is the result of structural issues which plague Brazil — such as its highly informal labor market which makes people dependent on the in-person economy — but also as a result of failed leadership.
The federal government, led by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, veered away from scientific consensus on almost every single major issue: from lockdowns and mask use to vaccines. The president encouraged people to gather without any protection against the...