Protests increase in Brazil over president’s handling of COVID-19 pandemic

Hundreds of people joined protests across Brazil this weekend against President Jair Bolsonaro over his alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many demanding his resignation or impeachment. 

Some 200 people gathered in central Brasilia, holding signs and banners saying ‘Bolsonaro Out’ and ‘Impeachment Now,’ while scores of autos drove slowly by, honking their horns in support.

The protests, like larger ones last weekend, were organized by leftist parties and groups.

A demonstrator takes part in a protest against Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Brasilia on Sunday

Demonstrators hold placards reading 'Impeachment Now' during a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his management of the coronavirus pandemic, which has generated 224,504 deaths and 9,204,731 cases

Demonstrators hold placards reading ‘Impeachment Now’ during a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his management of the coronavirus pandemic, which has generated 224,504 deaths and 9,204,731 cases

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said Saturday that it was not the government's responsibility to provide oxygen to the health system in the northwestern state of Amazonas, where medical facilities have been forced to transfer more than 300 coronavirus patients to hospitals in other states. At least 14 patients who were hospitalized in centers that lacked sufficient oxygen died in January, including 11 after they were transferred to other facilities Saturday

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro said Saturday that it was not the government’s responsibility to provide oxygen to the health system in the northwestern state of Amazonas, where medical facilities have been forced to transfer more than 300 coronavirus patients to hospitals in other states. At least 14 patients who were hospitalized in centers that lacked sufficient oxygen died in January, including 11 after they were transferred to other facilities Saturday 

Anti-Bolsonaro protests also took place in Sao Pãulo and Rio de Janeiro. 

The coronavirus pandemic as of Monday has claimed 224,504 lives in Brazil, second only to the United States, where more than 440,000 have died. 

The ravaging virus has generated 9,204,731 confirmed cases in the South American nation.

The demonstrations picked up steam as Bolsonaro declared Saturday that it was not the government’s responsibility to provide oxygen to northwestern state of Amazonas, where medical facilities are at capacity and struggling to provide treatment to COVID patients. 

A television screen showing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is seen inside the ICU unit of the Regional Public Hospital of Baixo Amazonas in the state of Para

A television screen showing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is seen inside the ICU unit of the Regional Public Hospital of Baixo Amazonas in the state of Para

Demonstrators representing patients without oxygen participate in a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday in Brasilia

Demonstrators representing patients without oxygen participate in a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday in Brasilia

‘It is not our competence and we are not responsible for taking oxygen there,’ Bolsonaro said. 

Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly played down the gravity of the pandemic, calling it a ‘little flu’ and minimizing the importance of mask-wearing and social distancing, argued that the federal government had provided the Amazonas state government financial support to address the dire condition of its crippling health system.

Despite receiving the full support from Bolsonaro, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello learned last week that the Brazilian Supreme Court approved an investigation into his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas. 

According to Bolsonaro, Pazuello was six days late in learning of the problems that medical institutions were facing before a delivery of oxygen tanks was signed off.

One group stood Sunday before the National Congress building, wearing plastic bags over their heads to symbolize at least 14 Covid-19 patients in Amazonas who died after hospitals ran out of oxygen – a problem also seen in neighboring Para and Roraima states.

The lack of sufficient oxygen in hospitals throughout Amazonas began in mid-January.  The crisis forced doctors to transfer 335 patients to other medical facilities in nearby states on Saturday. However, 11 patients who were battling the virus died in the process. 

A demonstrator standing on the roof of a WV Beetle waves a flag reading "Out" during a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro as protesters have called on him to either resign or be impeached

A demonstrator standing on the roof of a WV Beetle waves a flag reading “Out” during a protest against Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro as protesters have called on him to either resign or be impeached

Brazilians protesters calling for the impeachment and resignation of President Jair Bolsonaro participate in a demonstration Sunday in Brasilia

Brazilians protesters calling for the impeachment and resignation of President Jair Bolsonaro participate in a demonstration Sunday in Brasilia

Demonstrators hold a placard during a protest against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who is being accused of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic that as of Monday has claimed 224,504 lives in Brazil, second only to the United States, where more than 440,000 have died

Demonstrators hold a placard during a protest against Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, who is being accused of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic that as of Monday has claimed 224,504 lives in Brazil, second only to the United States, where more than 440,000 have died

The state has reported 8,117 confirmed deaths and more than 267,000 cases. 

‘The result of this mismanagement is more than 220,000 Covid deaths,’ Ruth Venceremos, an LGBTQ activist taking part in the protest, told AFP. ‘Enough with Bolsonaro – impeachment now!’

Some experts say the oxygen shortage was aggravated by the emergence of a new, more transmissible variant of the virus.

The Amazonas government has applied the first dose of coronavirus vaccines to 31,604 people as of Friday. Doctors started giving out shots of the vaccine January 18 after the federal government distributed its shipment of the AstraZeneca and Coronavac vaccines.  

The vaccination process is currently in its first phase and the health system is primarily focusing on getting the vaccine shots out to indigenous peoples, health workers and people over the age of 60.