07 July 20
FOCUS: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Tests Positive for Coronavirus
Colin Dwyer, NPR
Dwyer writes: "The Brazilian president, who has consistently downplayed the dangers of the virus, revealed his positive test result during nationally televised remarks Tuesday."
Colin Dwyer, NPR
Dwyer writes: "The Brazilian president, who has consistently downplayed the dangers of the virus, revealed his positive test result during nationally televised remarks Tuesday."
EXCERPT:
With more than 1.6 million confirmed cases as of Tuesday, Brazil is in the throes of the world's second-largest outbreak, behind only the U.S. More than 65,000 people there have died of complications linked to COVID-19 — a towering death toll that again stands second only to that of the U.S. And because of a significant lag in testing, Brazilian researchers believe the real numbers are much, much higher than the official tallies.
Yet Bolsonaro, 65, has repeatedly doubted the severity of the virus since it first found a foothold in Brazil, reportedly in late February. A key ally of President Trump, the right-wing Brazilian leader has called the coronavirus "a little flu," accused the media of hysteria and campaigned against the shutdowns implemented by local leaders.
"I'm sorry," Bolsonaro said in April, after the country's death toll reached 5,000, "but what do you want me to do about it?"
Tens of thousands of deaths later, Bolsonaro has remained firmly supportive of reopening and skeptical of social distancing, both for others and himself.
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