Brazil, on Saturday, hit another grim milestone in its coronavirus battle: 50 days without an official health minister as the country continues to see spiking new COVID-19 infections and deaths.
Army General Still the Temporary Health Minister
Ever since the previous health minister's predecessor was fired by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, the position has been occupied by Army General Eduardo Pazuello. It is worth noting that Pazuello does not have experience in the medical field.
Health Minister Nelson Teich stepped down from the post on May 15 following Bolsonaro's criticism of the health chief. At that time, Bolsonaro said Teich wasn't doing enough in encouraging for an economic reopening.
Teich did not provide an official reason for his resignation but Bolsonaro also criticized Teich's lack of approval for the use of chloroquine in treating coronavirus patients.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta then took over, but did not keep the position for long. Bolsonaro later fired Mandetta, who publicly encouraged the Brazilian masses to practice proper social distancing measures.
Mandetta also reiterated the importance of wearing masks in public. Just like Teich, Madentta did not recommend the use of chloroquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
Bolsonaro Eases on Mandatory Wearing of Face Masks
Amid the growing crisis in Brazil, Bolsonaro moved to water down a law that requires citizens to wear face masks or face coverings while in public.
On Friday, the Brazilian leader used his veto power to dilute the law that was previously established to hopefully prevent the further spreading of the novel coronavirus.
Bolsonaro removed several provisions such as the use of face masks in churches or religious sites and in shops. Bolsonaro said the article that forced citizens to wear face coverings in the said locations was unconstitutional.
At this point, Congress is expected to determine whether the vetoes made by the president should be reversed or maintained.
Even before Bolsonaro's vetoes were made, he already received widespread criticism for his methods of managing the coronavirus situation in the second hardest-hit country in the world.
Bolsonaro Supporters Defend Criticized President
Despite increasing criticism and disapproval for Bolsonaro's anti-COVID-19 measures, the president has retained the support of his followers.
A recent poll by Datafolha conducted at the end of June revealed that 32 percent of Brazilian citizens still believe that the Bolsonaro administration was either "good" or "very good."
On the other hand, some experts noted that while Bolsonaro supporters are still rallying in support of the president's defiant measures and his persistence in economy over health, the number is shrinking.
Political science researcher Vinicius Valle said Bolsonaro has "lost some points amongst those that supported him since the election." Valle said it appears that at this point, "only 22 percent" are still loyal to Bolsonaro.
The news came as Brazil remains the hardest-hit country in the world behind the United States. As of Saturday, the country logged a total of 1,578,376 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 64,365 deaths.
