Bolsonaro on Lockdown: “Brazil Is Becoming a Country of Poor People”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro again strongly urged governors and mayors on Thursday, May 14th, to reassess the restrictive measures adopted in the states due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Bolsonaro criticized local governments, but also said he was ready to talk about the issue.

The President condemned the “lockdown” and said that “Brazil is becoming a country of poor people”; he further said that with the social isolation measures, the country will end in chaos.

“There will come a point where chaos will be present here. This lockdown situation is going to close everything, that’s not the path. That’s the path to failure, to break down Brazil”, he declared. The President suggested that governors and mayors who embraced the “wave” of shutdowns “apologize and do the right thing”

Since the onset of the pandemic, Bolsonaro has taken a stand against total restriction measures and has advocated isolation restricted only to groups at risk of the disease. In recent days, he has signed decrees to increase the essential activities that can operate during quarantine, including the reopening of beauty salons, barbershops and gyms.

“There are 38 million casual workers who have already lost almost everything. According to the ILO (International Labor Organization), casual workers in Latin America have already lost 80 percent of their purchasing power,” he said.

“There will be no money to pay civil servants. And there are still  some of them who think there is a chance for a raise this year or next year. It makes no sense, there is no money,” he said.

The President also said that the country is “breaking” and that the economy “does not recover itself”. Bolsonaro also called for “courage” to face the virus. “Are people dying? Yes, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but there will be many deaths, many more, if the economy continues to be destroyed by these measures”.

“We must reopen. We will starve to death. Hunger kills.” The President also said he was willing to talk to the governors. “So, folks, I’m calling on the governors to review this policy. I am ready to talk.”

The President pointed out that he will seek to preserve lives, but that the “absurd measures of closing everything” will lead to the loss of more than “hundreds” of other lives.

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