Bolsonaro minimizes the Health crisis, while half of Brazil is about to collapse due to the Coronavirus

President Jair Bolsonaro, this Sunday minimized the critical situation that the health system is experiencing in Brazil for the pandemic, saying that “health always had its problems”, at a time when the lack of places for patients with covid-19 in ICUs has half the nation to collapse.

“What happened in March 2015? Health in Brazil always had its problems. The lack of ICU was one of them and certainly one of the worst,” wrote Bolsonaro on social networks, after publishing a story five years ago that refers to the lack of places in the country’s intensive care units (ICU).

Bolsonaro, one of the world’s most skeptical leaders about the seriousness of covid-19, which he has come to call “gripita”, also reiterated in the message the criticism that since the beginning of the pandemic has made the distancing measures to stop the spread of the virus.

“Today by closing the trade again and forcing people to stay at home, comes mass unemployment with disastrous consequences for all of Brazil“, he pointed.

Brazil, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in the world, accumulates close to 255,000 deaths from covid and 10.5 million infections.

The country completed five consecutive days yesterday with more than 1,300 daily deaths, a situation that has forced 13 of the 27 states to strongly tighten measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Brasilia, the capital of the country and where the far-right leader resides, is one of the most affected, since the occupation of the ICUs is at 98% of its capacity.

To reduce mobility, avoid crowds and reduce infections, the city closed shops and services for 15 days as of today.

However, the tranquility that should be felt this Sunday in the Brazilian capital by the closed shops was interrupted by protests from those who see their businesses affected, mostly upper-middle-class entrepreneurs.

The merchants demonstrated from their vehicles with their horns asking for the suspension of the measures imposed by Governor Ibaneis Rocha, despite the fact that the regional president had already relaxed the measures since the day before, after the call made by several businessmen.

Initially, the restrictions were for an indefinite period and only allowed the operation of essential services such as supermarkets, grocery stores, gas stations, trade in pharmaceuticals, medical and dental clinics, laboratories, veterinary clinics and “cults, masses and rituals of any creed or religion”.

Now the restrictions will only be extended for two weeks, also allowing the operation of parks, public entities that pay attention to the population, banks, offices, offices of self-employed professionals and industries, which until Friday were prohibited.