Brazilian senators demand investigation into prosecutor’s decision to shelve charges related to Bolsonaro’s pandemic mishandling.

Brazilian senators are calling for an investigation into a top prosecutor after she dismissed multiple charges against President Jair Bolsonaro regarding his controversial handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. A scathing congressional inquiry had recommended charging Bolsonaro with nine offenses, including crimes against humanity and fraud, for endorsing unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

The far-right president faced widespread criticism for downplaying the pandemic’s severity, initially dismissing it as “a little flu” and encouraging Brazilians to “man up,” saying, “we are all going to die anyway.” Bolsonaro was also slow to engage with vaccine offers, ignoring early emails from Pfizer and delaying the acceptance of Brazilian alternatives, which resulted in significant delays and preventable deaths. Additionally, he promoted risky behavior, urging citizens not to follow health guidelines like social distancing and mask usage, even launching a campaign titled “Brazil cannot stop.”

The decision to shelve these charges has sparked public outrage, with many questioning the integrity of the legal process and demanding further investigation.