Lula Warns 'Reckless' Pandemic Response by Bolsonaro Leading Brazil 'to the Slaughterhouse'

Published on
Friday, April 17, 2020
by Common Dreams

The former Brazilian president joined a growing global chorus criticizing how the country's current leader has handled the public health crisis.

by Jessica Corbett, staff writer

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian Friday, former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined a chorus of people across the globe who have sharply criticized his country's current far-right leader, Jair Bolsonaro, in recent months for irresponsibly handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Lula called Bolsonaro a "troglodyte" and warned that he is leading Brazilians "to the slaughterhouse" with his "reckless" and "grotesque" pandemic response. The leftist former president's comments came just a day after Bolsonaro fired Brazilian Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who had pushed for public health measures.

There are nearly 31,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Brazil and over 1,900 related deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins tracker. However, earlier this month Rio de Janeiro Health Secretary Edmar Santos said that his state could have another 50 to 100 infected people undetected for each of its confirmed cases.

"Unfortunately I fear Brazil is going to suffer a great deal because of Bolsonaro's recklessness," said Lula, who spoke to the Guardian by video call from São Bernardo do Campo. "I fear that if this grows Brazil could see some cases like those horrific, monstrous images we saw in Guayaquil," Ecuador's largest city, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.

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https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/17/lula-warns-reckless-pandemic-response-bolsonaro-leading-brazil-slaughterhouse