President Jair Bolsonaro said on national radio and TV this Tuesday (23) that 2021 will be "the year of vaccination of Brazilians."
His statement comes as he is feeling pressure from the record number of deaths, and Brazil’s shortage of ICU beds, intubation medicines and Covid-19 vaccines.
"We are tireless in the fight against the coronavirus," said Bolsonaro, who distorted government initiatives in the pandemic and lied about his actions.
The statement came on the day that 3,158 deaths by Covid in 24 hours were recorded in the country.
Despite the slow pace of vaccination, the president promised to immunize the entire population by the end of 2021. "Very soon, we will resume our normal lives."
He said that "at no time did the government stop taking important measures both to fight the coronavirus and to fight chaos in the economy, which could lead to unemployment and hunger."
The government launched a series of economic interventions, but Bolsonaro has, in the last 12 months, minimized the pandemic, spurred gatherings, spoken out against the use of masks, stopped immunization negotiations and, several times, spoken out against vaccines.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon