Congress Decides for Parallel Disclosure of Covid-19 Numbers

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The National Congress will determine the data on Covid-19 in the country independently of the federal government. Senate President Davi Alcolumbre endorsed the parallel counting at an early meeting of Chamber leaders.

The data will be released by the joint committee of deputies and senators created in April to monitor the government’s actions following the public emergency decree.

The changes introduced by the Ministry of Health in the disclosure of the balance on the pandemic have reduced the quantity and quality of data. In reaction to the Bolsonaro government’s decision to restrict access to data on the Covid-19 pandemic, mainstream media outlets O Estado de S. Paulo, Folha de S.Paulo, O Globo, Extra, G1, and UOL decided to partner and work together to seek the required data in all 26 states and the Federal District.

After the controversy, the Ministry of Health released an erratum correcting the data. “Transparency is fundamental in facing this pandemic. To defend it is to protect democracy,” said the leader of the MDB (Brazilian Democratic Movement) party in the Senate, Eduardo Braga, who, alongside the leader of the Rede party in the Senate, Randolfe Rodrigues, asked for parallel data checking in Congress. The two represent, respectively, the majority and minority blocs in the Senate.

Also in the Senate, the leader of the Cidadania party, Eliziane Gama, asked for the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on the novel coronavirus data in Brazil. “The CPI has police power during its execution, which means that we can request documents and the Ministry will have an obligation to submit them. In my opinion, today is the fastest instrument we have to gather the information”.

In addition, opposition legislators brought proceedings before the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to ensure the daily disclosure of data by the Ministry of Health by 7:30 PM. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office opened an extrajudicial procedure to investigate the delay and omission in the disclosure of figures.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo