Le Drian comments on Brazil travel, Navalny health

French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian commented Sunday on the new restrictions imposed for travellers coming to France from some countries and the health conditions of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

On Saturday, France introduced a mandatory ten-day quarantine for travellers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and South Africa over concerns of coronavirus variants in the regions.

The new measures will be fully enforced on April 24.

While France suspended all flights from Brazil last week over concerns of a more violent virus variant until next week, Le Drian added that when flights resume only French citizens or those with ''imperative'' reasons will be allowed to enter France and then undergo the mandatory self-isolation.

France did not suspend flights coming from Argentina, Chile and South Africa.

Speaking to French broadcaster France 3, Le Drian said he considers Alexei Navalny's health conditions in jail ''extremely worrying.''

Navalny is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most visible and adamant opponent.

He started a hunger strike more than three weeks ago to protest prison authorities’ refusal to allow him to be seen by a private doctor for diagnosis of severe back pain and loss of feeling in his legs.

A doctor has said his health is deteriorating rapidly and the 44-year-old Kremlin critic could be on the verge of death.

The French Foreign Minister said he sees a ''authoritarian drift'' in Russia, and Navalny's case ''is the most significant, the most symbolic, the most striking for the minds.''