RIO DE JANEIRO — On Saturday, anti-government demonstrators went to the streets in more than a dozen cities throughout Brazil as the country’s verified COVID-19 death toll surpassed half a million, a tragedy many opponents blame on President Jair Bolsonaro ‘s attempt to downplay the disease.
“Brazil is suffering a major setback. The country was a model for immunization across the world. We have well-known institutions, but we are in a sad situation today,” Isabela Gouljor, a 20-year-old student who participated in the Rio demonstration, said.
At least 22 of Brazil’s 26 states, as well as the Federal District of Brasilia, held similar marches. They were pushed by left-wing opposition groups buoyed by Bolsonaro’s falling poll numbers as the presidential election approaches next year.
Protesters in So Paulo released crimson balloons as a homage to the virus’s victims.
Critics claim that such messaging, as well as Bolsonaro’s advocacy of unproven therapies like hydroxychloroquine, have contributed to the rising death toll and a slow vaccine campaign that has only reached around 12% of the population. Every day, over 100,000 new illnesses and 2,000 fatalities are recorded in the country of 213 million people.
The marches took place a week after Bolsonaro led a large motorcycle parade of supporters in Sao Paulo, but his fans and opponents disagree on the scale of that event.
“Bolsonaro has to demonstrate that he has substantial support to send a message of strength to those in Congress who are probing his government’s actions,” Consentino added.