Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted on charges of conspiracy and falsifying vaccination records by the Government of Brazil, being warned that he faces arrest and could be jailed for up to 12 years if charged.
The shocking indictment details allegations leveled by the Brazilian Government that Bolsonaro fabricated his vaccine papers in order to prevent him from being barred entry into the US earlier this year. Prosecutors allege that, in order to avoid vaccine requirements for U.S. entry, Bolsonaro – a vocal opponent of COVID-19 vaccines– orchestrated the falsification of fraudulent paperwork for his visit in the U.S. from December 2022 to March 2023.
The indictment, an attack from the Lula da Silva administration, one of Bolsonaro’s political adversaries, further widens the political divide over the country. Bolsonaro’s supporters cry foul over what they describe as politically motivated judicial moves and election fraud.
Brazilian police conducted raids on the homes and offices of Bolsonaro and his inner circle, including top aide Mauro Cid, who investigators claim has handed over evidence of the vaccination records fabrication which tied Bolsonaro and 16 others to the vaccine fraud ring.
Cid says that, as part of a plea-bargain deal, Bolsonaro himself allegedly ordered the production of false vaccination records. The IP address used to access Brazil’s health database that was allegedly used to alter vaccination status documents– which is the core of the case – came from the Planalto Palace, the office of the Brazilian President.
Bolsonaro denies all charges of wrongdoing, insisting that he and his family were never vaccinated, reiterating his personal choice and a general skepticism towards pharmaceutical products.
The former president’s steadfast refusal to embrace Covid-19 vaccines has been a hallmark of his political career. Bolsonaro’s vocal skepticism predates the emergence of mRNA-based vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. In the face of global vaccination drives, Bolsonaro remained resolute, declaring his recovery from COVID-19 conferred immunity, obviating the need for vaccination.
In the face of growing legal action, Bolsonaro and his lawyers continues to deny the allegations, labeling the indictment as absurd. According to Bolsonaro’s lawyer Fabio Wajngarten, as president he had diplomatic immunity and did not have to bring a vaccination certificate when he travelled abroad.
The former president maintains his innocence, insisting that he was never asked to show a Covid-19 certificate during his visits to the U.S.. He also brushes off allegations of forgery, saying that it was his personal decision not to get vaccinated.
Bolsonaro’s supporters claim that there is a concerted effort by the Government of Lula da Silva and Brazilian courts to delegitimize the former president and the continuing relevance of his policies. Eduardo Bolsonaro, the president’s son, claims that Brazil is hurtling to the brink of tyranny, likening his father’s plight to a cinematic portrayal of oppression, stating in a Congressional hearing last month “Today, unfortunately, I live in my own movie about the gulag. My father is now persecuted and slandered in various ways, and as in any tyranny, the limit of the ridiculous no longer exists.”
🚨🇧🇷BRAZIL'S FORMER PRESIDENT INDICTED FOR LYING ABOUT GETTING COVID VACCINE
Jair Bolsonaro is accused by Brazilian federal police of not taking the COVID-19 vaccine but altering health records to falsely show he and his family did.
One of the health records was allegedly… pic.twitter.com/0eguCFQ5Xr
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 19, 2024
