“I Hugged Half of Congress,” Says Coronavirus-Infected Brazilian Senator

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The first Brazilian legislator diagnosed with the Covid-19 coronavirus, Senator Nelsinho Trad had a busy schedule in Congress before he learned he was infected.

He took part in hearings with senators, in meetings with ministers and in the session that brought down the per capita family income threshold for access to the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC), with another 498 legislators – 439 deputies and 59 senators – who took part in the vote.

“I hugged half of Congress. You go in there, coming from an international trip, and you end up hugging the guys. We like them. They like us. We hug them, ask how it was (the trip). I was with Rodrigo Maia, with Davi Alcolumbre, with Paulo Guedes, with Mandetta, with Ramos, in a meeting where I said that we should take action and have discipline.

We don’t have to wait for someone to die and then do what needs to be done,” said Trad, referring to the ministers of Economy, Health and Government Secretariat.

President of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Trad chaired the meeting of the Brazilian Representation in the Mercosur Parliament (CPCMS) in the Senate. He was also with the Syrian Ambassador, Mohamad Khafif.

The senator said he was “sure” that he had been infected inside the presidential aircraft. He joined President Jair Bolsonaro’s delegation to the United States and said he was sitting across from Fabio Wajngarten, the presidency’s communications secretary, who has been diagnosed with the Covid-19.

Trad says he is in isolation at his residence in Mato Grosso do Sul. On Friday, when he was confirmed positive, Trad received a call from Senate President Davi Alcolumbre, saying he would visit him to give him “a hug,” but the senator advised him not to go.

He says his wife and daughter are also in isolation, and that he is taking precautions, such as separating personal objects inside the house.

“I began to feel the mild flu symptoms three days after the trip. I am following those basic guidelines that our grandmother used to give when she had hepatitis, of separating glasses. When she painted her glasses and cutlery with nail polish, so as not to mix them with other people’s,” he recounted.

The senator talked to David Alcolumbre about the risk of the virus spreading in Congress. The Chamber and Senate plenaries are located in the famous domes designed by Oscar Niemeyer. They are closed environments, with no windows, no air circulation and carpets.

“It’s the favored setting for this virus, any virus. It’s a closed environment, with over 500 people. David will initially continue with next week’s sessions, but he is awaiting other developments,” said Trad.