Brazil's President Bolsonaro Furious Over Leaked Audio

President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil. | Photo: EFE

Published 12 April 2021

The leaked conversation reveals that he intends to interfere in Senate investigations and push for the impeachment of four Supreme Court justices.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday complained harshly about Senator Jorge Kajuru who disclosed a telephone conversation about an investigation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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During this conversation, the pro-government senator was trying to justify his support for the opening of a parliamentary investigation into the Federal government's management of the pandemic.

Bolsonaro can be heard protesting the fact that the investigation is focused on the performance of his administration and does not cover subnational governments, which the far-right politician accused of having diverted resources sent from the Executive.

The former Capitan tells Kajuru that if the investigation is not broadened, his government and its collaborators will be the only ones politically affected.

Among those collaborators would be former Health Minister Gen. Eduardo Pazuello who is already under investigation for his mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bolsonaro also complains that the Senate has not processed the impeachment requests against four members of the Supreme Court. He also criticizes the senators for reaffirming the power of sub-national governments to establish epidemiological measures, which is something the right-wing politician strongly rejects.

Progressive social and political organizations highlighted that the leaked conversation reveals that Bolsonaro intends to "interfere" in the Senate and the Supreme Court, which was described as "scandalous" by Gleisi Hoffmann, the president of the Workers' Party (PT).

At the telephone conversation, Bolsonaro also said he would beat up opposition senator Randolfe Rodrigues. According to outlet Brasil 247, Kajuru said he did not disclose this part of the recording to "protect" the Brazilian President.