With more than 114 thousand deaths caused by the novel coronavirus, President Jair Bolsonaro (without a party) on Monday said Brazil is "winning Covid-19" and defended treatment with hydroxychloroquine. This medication has not been proven effective for the disease in recent studies and poses a risk of side effects.
He again criticized the press and said that journalists, if infected with the coronavirus, have a better chance of dying for being a "big punk".
In March Bolsonaro said he would feel only a "little flu" if infected by Covid. Then Bolsonaro referred to journalists with the expression "big punk".
"The press people go to debauchery [in the phrase from the athlete's history]. But when [Covid] takes a big punk from you, the chance of surviving is less," he said.
It is the second time in a day that Bolsonaro has disrespected journalists. On Sunday (23), when asked about deposits of R$ 89,000 made by former adviser Fabrício Queiroz in the account of the first lady, Bolsonaro said he wanted to fill the reporter's face with a beating.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon