Brazil's Bolsonaro slams corruption probe with foul language: 'I will answer nothing'

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro used foul language as he refused to speak on corruption charges that a Senate committee is investigating involving vaccine purchases by the government. In his weekly broadcast on social media, Bolsonaro said, "Do you know what my answer is? I crap on the CPI. I will answer nothing." 

CPI, or the senate's Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry, has been investigating Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Bolsonaro has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding a $316 million contract signed in February for 20 million doses with a Brazilian intermediary for Bharat Biotech.

Bolsonaro remained a mute spectator: Health officials

The difficulty of Bolsonaro further escalated after a health ministry official told the senators that he was pressurised by his superiors to approve payment for the Indian vaccine deal. He suspected the vaccine procurement was overbilled by his seniors. The official further maintained that he notified the Brazilian President about the misconduct, but he did not act on it.

However, the Federal Police never received any request to investigate, neither from Bolsonaro nor his Health Ministry, according to a Federal Police source with knowledge of investigations who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly and declined to be named. The allegation puts additional pressure on Bolsonaro, whose handling of the COVID-19 crisis is already being investigated by a Senate committee.

Recently, Bolsonaro fired a Health Ministry official after a newspaper reported his alleged participation in a graft scheme to secure COVID-19 vaccines. Late Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced that it was "temporarily suspending" the Covaxin contract. 

Court OK's probe of Brazil's Bolsonaro

Protests against President Jair Bolsonaro were held across Brazil demanding his impeachment or greater access to vaccines against COVID-19, a day after a Supreme Court justice authorized a criminal investigation into his response to allegations of potential corruption involving a vaccine deal. Prosecutors will investigate whether Bolsonaro committed the crime of "prevarication," which entails delaying or refraining from action required as part of a public official’s duty for reasons of personal interest.

Covaxin says the highest standards of compliance followed

Bharat Biotech has denied any allegation of wrongdoing with respect to vaccine supply, saying in an emailed statement that it adheres to the highest standards of compliance. The company’s press representative didn’t respond when asked why a payment would be routed through a Singapore-based company.

(With inputs from AP)