MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Bolsonaro defends sacking health minister and insists in opening up the economy
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, sacked health minister, had been advocating social distancing in line with WHO; the virus has claimed over 1,900 lives in Brazil Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday defended his decision to restart economic activity in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, after sacking his health minister over differences in how to tackle the disease.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, the dismissed health minister, had been advocating social distancing in line with World Health Organization recommendations, with the virus outbreak claiming more than 1,900 lives so far in Brazil.
But the far-right Bolsonaro has argued that the measures would wreck the economy and create greater long-term risks to public health.
“This struggle to start opening up for business is a risk that I will take,” Bolsonaro said Friday as he installed his new health minister, Nelson Teich.
If the epidemic “gets worse, that will be on me. But I think-- and lots of people are coming to realize this - that we have to open up.”
The governors of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro were moving in the opposite direction on Friday, however, extending partial quarantines in their states which only allow key economic activities to go on.
Bolsonaro sacked Mandetta after weeks of public clashes over how to contain the deadly outbreak. “Mandetta's vision was that of health, of life. Mine is more than life, it includes the economy and jobs,” Bolsonaro said.
Teich, a renowned 62-year-old oncologist, did not propose any concrete measures in his brief inaugural speech, but insisted he would strive to balance both outlooks.
“We can talk about health, the economy, it doesn't matter: at the end of the day we are talking about people. That is what we are here to do, to bring a better life to Brazilian society and people,” the new minister said.
Nevertheless, Bolsonaro himself admitted he lacks the power to force his vision on states' governors, who have the authority to impose their own measures against the virus.
Sao Paulo authorities have announced they would extend until May 10 restrictions on all but essential services, a measure first introduced in late March. Rio de Janeiro said it will prolong its own similar measures until the end of April.
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Read all commentsTerence Hill*
Apr 19th, 2020 - 08:33 pm +2Tell the readers here about your former military service during the Cuba Missile Crisis...
You are a mendacious worthless coward committing the unforgivable crime of stolen valor...
(*Who's name is listed by the Canadian Crown Court as a convicted pedophile and worse... )
Terence Hill*
Apr 19th, 2020 - 09:16 pm +2We all know Terence Hill is an alias for Gollum, which is documented as an Sméagol Trahald — which we believe is your real name.
My goodness, you are a bit touchy aren't you?
Tell the Mercopress readers here about your former military service during the Cuba Missile Crisis...
You are a mendacious worthless coward committing the unforgivable crime of stolen valor...
(*Who's name is listed by the Canadian Crown Court as a convicted pedophile and worse just by doing a simple search query... )
Terence Hill*
Apr 19th, 2020 - 10:38 pm +2Gollum, or Sméagol
Tell the Mercopress readers about your former military service during the Cuba Missile Crisis...
(It's here on Mercopress archives)
You are a mendacious worthless coward committing the unforgivable crime of stolen valor...
(Also, please explain that a similar name you identify as, is listed by the Canadian Crown Court as a convicted PEDOPHILE and worse just by doing a simple search query... )
HAVE A PLEASANT EVENING!
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