MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro refuses to answer questions regarding alleged corruption in purchase of vaccines

The CPI wanted Bolsonaro to testify “on the statements made by Deputy Luís Miranda”

Brazil's Senatorial Committee (CPI), which is investigating the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Thursday sent a letter to President Jair Bolsonaro asking him to address the allegations surrounding an obscure overpriced deal to purchase Covaxin immunizers.

“Silence creates a disturbing situation,” the CPI stressed. But Bolsonaro was blunt: “I shit at the CPI.”

As per the testimony of a health ministry official named Miranda and his parliamentarian brother, Bolsonaro was told dubious negotiations were going on, to which he reportedly turned a deaf ear.

The Indian-made vaccines were the most expensive drugs of that kind, which suggested bribes were involved, which was also backed by other testimonies.

The CPI wanted Bolsonaro to testify “on the statements made by Deputy Luís Miranda” and “lift the terrible weight of this very serious suspicion from the shoulders of Deputy Ricardo Barros.”

According to the Miranda brothers, Bolsonaro had been warned about possible illegalities and even the involvement of Barros in the scheme. Now, the CPI is working to investigate whether Bolsonaro committed the crime of malfeasance.

Meanwhile, Barros insisted he was eager to testify as soon as possible and even asked the CPI to reschedule his appearance for the earliest moment possible. He is scheduled for July 20.

In his broadcast message, Bolsonaro replied that “I shit at the CPI!”

He added that “I am not going to respond to that type of people in any hypothesis, they are not concerned about the truth; they are concerned about wearing down the government.”

The president went on: ”Do you know what my answer is? I shit, I shit at the CPI. I'm not going to answer anything.”

The purchase of Covaxin vaccines never took place.