Coronavirus: Bolsonaro fires Brazilian health minister who called for social distancing to contain outbreak

Brazilian president has downplayed threat of deadly virus

President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro and then Minister of Health Luiz Henrique Mandetta attend a press conference on the measures taken by the government against the spread of the coronavirus (EPA)

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has fired his health minister after a public feud over the nation’s coronavirus response.

The right-wing populist has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the virus in favour of supporting the economy – referring to the deadly disease as “little flu” and branding the actions of governors introducing lockdown measures as “criminal”.

He has now has ousted health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta after a series of public clashes over how the country should chart a course through the pandemic, which has claimed the lives of almost 2,000 people and infected more than 30,000 in the country.

“I just heard from the president Jair Bolsonaro the news of my dismissal from the health ministry,” Mr Mandetta wrote on Twitter, announcing the end of a tenure that had seen him gain popular support after backing measures including social isolation policies introduced by state governors.

He has since been replaced by oncologist Nelson Teich, Mr Bolsonaro announced in a televised briefing. The president claimed Mr Mandetta had not sufficiently respected the need for employment during the pandemic.

Mr Bolsonaro, who has been compared by observers to Donald Trump, has repeatedly hit out at social distancing measures – recently walking out into large crowds in a market area outside Brasilia.

Much like the US president, he has also sought to prioritise the economy over public health by arguing that only the elderly and sick should be quararantined while the rest of the population gets to work.

Mr Mandetta, meanwhile, has drawn comparisons to Mr Trump’s top virus expert Dr Anthony Fauci. Both have made public statements about the virus that differed with those of their presidents and both have been seen as providing scientific rigour to counteract the actions of their bosses.

Afterwards, supporters of Mr Bolsonaro and Mr Trump took to Twitter to call for removal of their country’s top health officials, although the White House has said this week that Dr Fauci’s job is secure.

Among the claims made by Mr Bolsonaro challenged by the health minister was his endorsement of chloroquine, a malarial drug similar to the hydrochloroquine backed by Mr Trump.

Mr Mandetta said the medical treatment was not a cure for the coronavirus, and instead advised it could be toxic if used without medical advice.

His health ministry’s response to the epidemic has been rated “good” or “great” by 76 per cent of Brazilians surveyed by pollster Datafolha this month. Just 33 per cent of those surveyed gave Mr Bolsonaro the same ratings.