Brazilians protest high number of COVID deaths

Protesters marching to protest Brazil's high COVID-19 death toll gathered in the capital, Brasilia, Wednesday.

Women from several parts of Brazil held large flags with the embroidered names of COVID-19 victims.

Lourdes Marinho pointed to the names she embroidered herself.

"This is Patricia, and this is her father, Itaré. They both died, he in one week and she in the next one. And this is my sister-in-law, Nizia Brito, who also died and had no health problem," said Marinho.

The protest took place in front of Brazil's Congress, as the Senate continued to pursue an inquiry into the government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, a probe that analysts say could potentially jeopardize the reelection of President Jair Bolsonaro.

"4 out of 5 deaths would not have happened if we were in the worldwide average and between 95 and 145 thousand deaths were caused by the delay in purchasing the vaccines," stated Pedro Hallal an epidemiologist being questioned during the Senate investigation.

Bolsonaro has been one of the world's most prominent opponents of restrictions aimed at curbing the disease, whose effects he has often downplayed.

He has also encouraged use of medications that scientists say are worthless, and critics say his policies, along with a bungled vaccine campaign, have contributed to the world's second highest COVID-19 death toll.

While the investigation isn't formally aimed at criminal allegations, it potentially could lead to charges.

It's also likely to provide a months-long drumbeat of embarrassing accusations ahead of the October 2022 presidential election.

Brazil has already hit the milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths this week, trailing only the U.S. total.

The South American nation has recorded more virus deaths in the first four months of 2021 than in all of last year, though the number of daily cases and deaths continues to rise.