Documents from the Senate investigation into Brazil's handlinng of the pandemic have exposed the contradictions of Paulo Guedes' team regarding the preparation of the provisional measures for vaccines. Bolsonaro and Guedes aligned themselves against the demands of the American Pfizer, and the resistance gave an opening for the ministry of health to start suspicious negotiations in the acquisition of other immunization agents.
Jair Bolsonaro and Guedes feared, in addition to possible side effects, the threat of legalization. Future actions could have increased the Union's financial liabilities.
The investigation wants to know why a device that facilitated the acquisition of doses from Pfizer and Janssen was deleted from the provisional measure published in January.
One of the minutes authorized the government to take risks of possible unwanted effects, a requirement of the companies. The refusal on this point delayed the deal with Pfizer, which was only concluded in March, thanks to a congressional initiative that allowed the onus to be transferred to the public authorities.
The Ministry of Economy told Folha that it participated in meetings in the final phase of drafting the provisional measure for the vaccine. Before the ministry had denied acting in the formulation of the text.
The folder said, however, that the matter was related to Health and that, therefore, it did not estimate the fiscal impact of the proposal.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon