RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The statement came at a time when 22 of the 27 states are experiencing a surge in coronavirus deaths, according to the media outlet consortium.
It is the first time that this number of states have simultaneously shown an upward trend in deaths from the disease since the consortium began monitoring them on July 9th. Since the start of the pandemic, 179,032 people have died as a result of Covid-19 in Brazil.
“Allow me to speak a little about the government, we’re at the tail end of the pandemic. Compared to other countries in the world, our government was the best, or one of the best, in handling it,” said Bolsonaro during a speech at the inauguration of the main axis of the new Guaíba Bridge, on the BR-290 highway in Porto Alegre.
“We must convey reassurance to the population rather than chaos. What occurred at the start of the pandemic leads to nothing. We deeply regret the deaths and we are therefore overcoming obstacles”.
On Wednesday, December 9th, Minister of Health Eduardo Pazuello said that immunization could start later this month if Pfizer, one of the manufacturers, is granted emergency authorization by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and is able to “advance” the delivery of doses.
Upon his arrival at around 9:25 AM at Salgado Filho Airport in Porto Alegre, Bolsonaro was welcomed by Governor Eduardo Leite (PSDB), Senator Luís Carlos Heinze (PP-RS) and Federal Deputy Osmar Terra (MDB-RS). The entourage greeted the politicians with a handshake.
Also during his speech, Bolsonaro mentioned the rising prices in basic products such as rice and soy oil this year.
“We prevented an economic collapse. Economy and health must go hand in hand. The fields did not stop, we had an abnormal price hike in some products, like soybean oil, rice. It is better, or less negative, to have inflation rather than a supply shortage,” he said.