Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, whose dismissive stance toward the Covid-19 pandemic has angered many health experts, fired his popular health minister following a series of disagreements over the proper response to contain the virus’ spread in South America’s most populous country.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta, an orthopaedist, had garnered support for his handling of the pandemic that included promotion of broad isolation measures enacted by state governors, even drawing comparisons to Dr Anthony Fauci, US President Donald Trump’s top virus expert.
His dismissal comes as experts say the peak of the new coronavirus outbreak in Brazil is expected in the coming weeks.
“You should have absolute certainty that we fought a good fight until here,” Mr Mandetta told health ministry workers in a televised press conference on Thursday after announcing his departure. “But we’re at the start of the battle.”
Mr Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly characterised the virus as a “little flu,” said shutting down the economy would cause more damage than confining only high-risk Brazilians, and touted the yet-unproven efficacy of an anti-malarial drug.
“Life is priceless, but the economy and employment need to return to normality,” Mr Bolsonaro said at a press conference on Thursday. He also said he would neither condemn nor criticise Mr Mandetta. “It was a consensual divorce because more important than me and more important than him as a minister is the health of the Brazilian people.”
For Mr Mandetta’s replacement, the president named Nelson Teich, an oncologist and senior consultant at medical services company Teich Health Care. He also has a master’s in business administration, according to his LinkedIn page.
Speaking alongside Mr Bolsonaro, Mr Teich said he did not want to announce any changes abruptly, as little is known about the virus. He added that he and the president were “completely aligned”.
“Health and the economy are complementary,” he said.
While Dr Fauci is not a politician like Mr Mandetta, both have often made statements about the virus that differed with those of their bosses. The White House said this week that Dr Fauci’s job is secure. Still, Republicans close to the White House say Mr Trump has complained about Dr Fauci’s positive media attention and sought to leave him out of task force briefings.
Mr Bolsonaro, likewise, had convened doctors without inviting Mr Mandetta and, in a televised interview earlier this month, said the health minister had failed to show “humility”. A few days later, on April 5, the president told supporters that he would act against officials in his government who “are full of themselves”.
Those comments were widely understood as signalling an end to Mr Mandetta’s tenure, so much so that the minister said the next day his subordinates cleared out his desk.
He survived, but questions swirled over whether Mr Bolsonaro had indeed backed away from dismissing the man whose Covid-19 response was welcomed by many Brazilians, or if he were just biding his time while recruiting a replacement.
That uncertainty vanished on Thursday.
While rising quickly, the nearly 31,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil is still a relatively low number in relation to the country’s population of 211 million, though it does have the most cases in Latin America. There have been almost 2,000 deaths. Its peak is expected in May.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Following Mr Mandetta’s announcement of his dismissal, people in apartment buildings in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro could be heard yelling insults at Mr Bolsonaro from their windows. A survey earlier this month by pollster Datafolha showed three-quarters of Brazilians approved of the health ministry’s handling of the crisis, versus just one-third for Mr Bolsonaro.
At his press conference, Mr Mandetta thanked people with whom he had worked, and even Mr Bolsonaro.
“I leave the health ministry with a lot of gratitude to the president for having nominated me and allowing me to nominate each of you,” he said. “I know I am leaving the best team. Work for the next minister like you worked for me. Don’t spare any effort.”
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Coronavirus around the world
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An Indian policeman patrols the streets during coronavirus lockdown in Bhopal, India. EPA -
A sign encouraging people to stay at home is displayed on a busstop along Victoria Street, central London. AFP -
A man wears a protective face mask whilst travelling on the London Underground. Reuters -
A man plays the guitar outside his apartment next to a deserted canal in Venice, Italy. Reuters -
A woman has her temperature checked at the entrance of the IFO Regina Elena and San Gallicano hospital in Rome, Italy. EPA -
A healthcare worker attends to a Covid-19 patient at the Intensive Unit Care of the Povisa Hospital in Vigo, northwestern Spain. AFP -
The 30 Rockefeller Plaza tower in Manhattan is seen illuminated in blue as part of the "Light It Blue" initiative to honor healthcare workers in New York. Reuters -
A Buddhist monk collects alms at an outdoor market in Bangkok, Thailand. AFP -
Commuters make their way at Nagoya station in Japan. Kyodo News via AP -
A first responder in a dinosaur costume greets healthcare workers during a shift change along with Bothell firefighters at the Evergreen Health Medical Center, in Kirkland, Washington, USA. Reuters -
A shop owner receives money from a customer behind a sheet of protective plastic at a convenience store in South Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. AP Photo -
Volunteer Rupert Stobo shops at the grocery store for someone in need in Auckland, New Zealand. Getty Images -
A member of the military stands guard as Venezuelans board a bus back to their homes after being quarantined at the Colombian border in Urena, Tachira, Venezuela. EPA -
Sydney FC A-League player Anthony Caceres trains by himself at Bondi Beach on April 17, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images -
A man is seen lying on the floor near of empty boxes that will be used to distribute food for free in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters -
A health worker sprays disinfectant as people gather outside Insein prison waiting for the release of prisoners in Yangon, Myanmar. Reuters -
A person waits for a flight at the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. AFP -
Medical workers walk during a short break at Maimonides Medical Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York, USA. Reuters
