London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

"Guilty Of Nothing": Jair Bolsonaro Denies Brazil Senate Panel's Pandemic Charges

"Guilty Of Nothing": Jair Bolsonaro Denies Brazil Senate Panel's Pandemic Charges

The 66-year-old leader quickly rejected the accusations, insisting he was "guilty of nothing." Brazil is one of the world's hardest hit countries with more than 600,000 deaths from the pandemic.

A Brazilian senate committee on Wednesday recommended that President Jair Bolsonaro face at least 10 charges, including crimes against humanity, over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 66-year-old leader quickly rejected the accusations, insisting he was "guilty of nothing." Brazil is one of the world's hardest hit countries with more than 600,000 deaths from the pandemic.

Following six months of hearings, with emotional witness statements and chilling revelations, the committee of inquiry issued a report that seeks charges against around 60 people, including four ministers and two ex-ministers. Three of Bolsonaro's sons are among the accused.

"We know that we are guilty of absolutely nothing. We know that we did the right thing from the first moment," said Bolsonaro, during a visit to northeastern Ceara state.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the seriousness of the virus, calling it a "little flu" at one point. He promoted treatments that scientists said were ineffective, railed against lockdown measures to slow the spread, and spoke out against vaccinations.

Next week lawmakers will vote whether to approve the 1,200 page report.

It describes Bolsonaro -- who faces a tricky election next year -- as "the main person responsible for the government's mistakes during the pandemic."

Besides crimes against humanity, the president is accused of "quackery," inciting crime and violation of health measures.

"The president has committed numerous crimes and will pay for it," said the committee's president Omar Aziz.

Symbolic charges


While the accusations are serious, the process may be just symbolic since Bolsonaro enjoys enough congressional support to avoid the opening of impeachment proceedings.

Likewise, Attorney General Augusto Aras, an ally appointed by Bolsonaro, could shield him from any indictment.

"This report will seem like a sentence, but the government is calm. You can criticize the president's attitude, but not incriminate him," Fernando Bezerra, head of the government's parliamentary bloc in the senate, told the Uol website.

The inquiry does not have the power to bring charges, but its revelations could have a political impact: the report will be sent to the public prosecutor, the federal court of accounts, and perhaps the International Criminal Court in the Hague, where other complaints against Bolsonaro have already been lodged.

It is yet another headache for the president, whose popularity has plummeted to an all-time low and who trails leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in polls ahead of next year's vote.

The report says that the committee has "gathered evidence that the federal government ... acted slowly in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, deliberately exposing the population to a real risk of mass infection."

It says Bolsonaro's crimes were "deliberate" and accuses his government of refusing to take necessary precautions to prevent the virus's spread, instead favoring a "high-risk" strategy of aiming for herd immunity among the population.

Harrowing testimony


After hearing testimony from several ministers, government officials, and business and hospital managers, the investigation ended with harrowing testimony on Monday from a nurse in the Amazon city of Manaus who saw dozens of patients dying and had to take care of her sister's four children after she also succumbed to the virus.

The committee investigated the government over a crippling lack of oxygen in Manaus during the worst moments of the pandemic, and also delays in buying vaccines, Bolsonaro's anti-lockdown speeches, and his original belittling of the virus.

Senators subsequently discovered irregularities in the acquisition of vaccines, something that generated strong suspicions of corruption.

"We deserve an apology from the highest authority in the state," Marcio Antonio Silva, a taxi driver who lost his 25-year-old son to Covid, told the panel, holding back tears.

Antonio Carlos Costa, president of the Rio de Paz NGO, blasted Bolsonaro's lack of remorse.

"We've never seen him shed tears of compassion, nor express his condolences for the Brazilian people in mourning," he said.

Flavio Bolsonaro, a lawmaker who is the president's son and among the accused, said the report was "an instrument of revenge against Bolsonaro and his family."

"It's clear, neither my brothers, nor I, and even less so the president, have committed any crimes."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×