Hundreds of Brazilians took to the streets Sunday in a fresh round of protests against President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Protesters in Rio de Janeiro paraded in cars and on bikes shouting slogans for Bolsonaro’s removal. Demonstrations also took place in Sao Paolo and outside federal buildings in the capital, Brasilia.
Bolsonaro, who tested positive for the coronavirus last summer, has been routinely criticized by scientists and health experts for not enacting measures that would minimize the spread of the disease.
In the Amazon state of Manaus, hospitals and health care workers have said for weeks that they’re unable to fully treat patients because of a lack of supplemental oxygen.
Brazil has recorded the second-highest number of deaths and the third-highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the world, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center.
More than 224,000 Brazilians have died of the virus since the pandemic began last year.
Two weeks ago, Brazil approved Britain’s AstraZeneca vaccine and China’s CoronaVac for emergency use against the virus.
But the rollout has been slow and rocky, further angering citizens calling for Bolsonaro’s removal.
