Status: 07/24/2021 9:39 pm
Thousands of Brazilians demonstrated against their government’s corona policy. At rallies across the country, they called for impeachment proceedings against President Bolsonaro, more vaccinations and economic aid.
At demonstrations across the country, thousands of Brazilians again protested against the corona policy of President Jair Bolsonaro’s government. Trade unions and left-wing groups had called for the demonstrations. Banners read: “Bolsonaro – corrupt genocide. Impeachment now” and “We want vaccinations, he bribes. Away with Bolsonaro”.
There was also a rally in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Image: AFP
The demonstrators called for impeachment proceedings against the right-wing head of state, more vaccinations against the coronavirus and economic aid in the pandemic, as the news portal “G1” reported. Protests broke out in at least 13 provincial capitals, including Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Salvador.
Not only Corona policy in focus
The protests were also directed against the privatization of public services. People also demanded more efforts to fight hunger and environmental degradation, as well as respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.
The government of President Bolsonaro played down the pandemic from the start and braced itself against tough exit restrictions, citing the economic consequences. Most recently, Bolsonaro also questioned the point of vaccination. A parliamentary committee of inquiry is now examining Bolsonaro’s crisis management in the pandemic.
Brazil is one of the countries in the world hardest hit by the corona pandemic. So far, almost 20 million people have contracted the virus. Every day, an average of around 50,000 new infections are added. Almost 550,000 patients have now died in connection with Covid-19 – there are only more deaths in the USA. Due to tens of thousands of late reports, the Ministry of Health recently registered more than 100,000 infections within one day.
In Brazil, more than 130 million doses of vaccine have been administered since the nationwide vaccination campaign began in January. Around 40 percent of adult Brazilians have received a single dose, around 17 percent are fully vaccinated. In view of the lack of vaccination doses, however, the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro and other important cities recently again suspended their first vaccinations against the corona virus.