MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's CPI to file criminal charges against Bolsonaro and some of his aides

There are over 120 impeachment requests against Bolsonaro shelved by the Lower House's Speaker.

Brazil's Parliamentary Investigative Committee (CPI) delving into the Government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday announced it planned to accuse President Jair Bolsonaro and members of his cabinet of “crimes against humanity” and even “genocide” of indigenous peoples

CPI rapporteur, Senator Renan Calheiros, announced that the final report of the organization will be released on Oct. 15 based on documents from dozens of officials, businessmen and witnesses.

Calheiros also said ministers and people who acted in the “cabinet of hatred” encouraging the use of hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19 while carrying out alleged other irregular manoeuvres in the purchase of supplies will also be charged.

“We will use the criminal types such as the common crime, in addition to the crimes of responsibility, the crime against life, against humanity and at this moment we are evaluating what to do about indigenous peoples and genocide,” said Calheiros.

The CPI does not have judicial powers, so its conclusions will possibly be delivered to the Office of the Prosecutor and the House of Deputies, which may start impeachment procedures against the president.

Lower House Speaker Arthur Lira, a known Bolsonarist, did not authorize the opening of impeachment cases despite over 120 requests having been submitted so far.

The CPI is led by senators of various ideological backgrounds but mostly opponents of the government.

President Bolsonaro had opposed the creation of the CPI, which has been working since April. His son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, heads a group of parliamentarians who might publish a final report of their own, parallel to that of the Calheiros committee.

The CPI also ruled Tuesday that Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga needs to appear before it to report within 48 hours on the measures regarding vaccination in 2022. Health Vice Minister Rodrigo Otavio Cruz has said the Ministry lacked the resources to continue immunization in 2022 with the application of third doses.

Queiroga arrived in Brazil on Monday after spending two weeks in quarantine in New York where he tested positive for coronavirus, during the visit he made with Bolsonaro. The CPI also asked Minister Queiroga on Tuesday to explain why he ruled out buying more Chinese Coronavac vaccines manufactured at the Butantan Institute of the São Paulo government.

Last week, Bolsonaro once again questioned the efficacy of vaccines and said that there would be economic “interests” behind those who propose that vaccination be reinforced next year. Bolsonaro has especially criticized the drug Coronavac in addition to raising suspicions that China artificially created Covid-19 as part of an ongoing “bacteriological warfare”.

The COVID-19 crisis has already cost the lives of around 600,000 Brazilians.

CPI chairman Omar Aziz also explained Tuesday that the interrogation phase will conclude Thursday and that, from that moment, Calheiros will adjust the final report, which must be delivered on October 19 and voted on the following day.

In case of being approved with a simple majority by the eleven members of the commission, the report will be sent to the General Prosecutor's Office, the Court of Accounts and other bodies responsible for supervising the Government's actions.

According to Calheiros, some 30 people must be charged with various crimes, although he declined for now to release the names of those involved. He did admit, however, that the list would be topped by Bolsonaro himself.

Former Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello is most likely on that list as well, it was reported, together with other officials who supported a treatment based on chloroquine and other drugs without proven effects against the coronavirus in public hospitals.

The approval of Calheiros' report is almost taken for granted since seven of the eleven members of the CPI are aligned with the opposition and have been vociferous against the Government's management of the pandemic.