Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro claims panic and depression caused by lockdown is worse than the virus itself and boasts his approach ‘saved lives’ even as cases and deaths spiral making the country the worst hit by COVID 19 after the US
- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said his nation did a better job than any across the globe when it came down to protecting lives and jobs due to COVID-19
- The 65-year-old said Brazil was able to make sure its citizens did not panic because it would lead to depression and death
- The ravaging coronavirus has killed 67,964 and produced 1,713,160 confirmed cases
- Bolsonaro on Tuesday announced he was infected with COVID-19
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro boasted on social media that no other country has put forth a better effort to protect lives and jobs throughout the coronavirus pandemic despite a record-breaking rise in deaths and confirmed cases.
‘No other country has done like Brazil,’ the far-right leader wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. ‘We preserve lives and jobs without spreading panic, which also leads to depression and death.’
Bolsonaro, who has been widely criticized for his lax efforts on stopping the spread of the deadly virus, went on to claim ‘that fighting the virus could not have a worse side effect than the virus itself.’
The virus which Bolsonaro, who revealed Tuesday that he was infected with the coronavirus, once compared to just a ‘little flu’ now has Brazil ranked second in the world behind the United States with 67,964 deaths and 1,713,160 positive COVID-19 cases.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed 132,934 people and infected 3,088,913 in the U.S.
![Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tweeted on Wednesday that he always knew that 'fighting the [COVID-19] virus could not have a worse side effect than the virus itself.' The pandemic has killed more than 67,000 people and generated more than 1.7 million positive cases](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/07/09/21/30589544-8507829-image-a-12_1594327938086.jpg?resize=634%2C466&ssl=1)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tweeted on Wednesday that he always knew that ‘fighting the [COVID-19] virus could not have a worse side effect than the virus itself.’ The pandemic has killed more than 67,000 people and generated more than 1.7 million positive cases
President Jair Bolsonaro shows off a pill of hydroxychloroquine which he says is helping him battle his coronavirus infection
The 65-year-old also took his critics to task over the use of hydroxychloroquine, which he is taking to to treat his coronavirus infection.
‘To those who cheer against Hydroxychloroquine, but do not have alternatives, I regret to inform you that I am very well with its use and, with the grace of God, I will live for a long time to come,’ he tweeted.
Bolsonaro also lauded his administration helping affected residents stay afloat during the pandemic, which forced non-essential businesses to shut down across the nation before they slowly were opened over the last month.
‘Our Government served everyone with the necessary resources and means. Furthermore, we created means to preserve jobs and helped with five [check] installments $600 reals [$113],’ the Brazilian leader wrote.
Andre Perfeito, a chief economist at Necton Investimentos, told Bloomberg Quint on Thursday that the Brazilian economy would rebound, but faces struggles as consumers stay away from shops.
‘We may have the worst of both worlds. The economic recovery may not happen quickly, and the virus may be around for longer,’ he said.