GREAT TIMING

Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Who Doesn’t Take Coronavirus Seriously, Fires Health Minister Who Does

Dr. Luiz Henrique Mandetta had won support for his social distancing plan, whereas Brazilian President Bolsonaro has downplayed the danger of the coronavirus.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fired his health minister Thursday following an acrid, weeks-long dispute between the two men over how to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Luiz Henrique Mandetta wrote on Twitter that he had heard the news of his dismissal by Bolsonaro. Mandetta had pushed for social distancing measures and had gained the support of Brazilian state governors who enacted them, according to the Associated Press, whereas Bolsonaro has likened COVID-19 to the flu, touted hydroxychloroquine (an anti-malarial drug of unproven efficacy against the coronavirus), and said isolation measures are doing more damage than the disease. Rumors had circulated that Bolsonaro had tested positive for the virus after members of his inner circle did, though the president denied them.