Covid Brazil: Why could Bolsonaro face charges?

A Senate panel in Brazil has backed a report recommending President Jair Bolsonaro faces charges including crimes against humanity for his response to the pandemic.

The president maintains he is "guilty of absolutely nothing".

So what has he been accused of and what has he done to respond to the outbreak?

How does Brazil's Covid record compare?

Brazil has by far the highest overall death toll in Latin America, and the second highest in the world after the US.

It also has one of the highest global death tolls as a proportion of its population - although not as high as neighbouring Peru.

What is Bolsonaro accused of?

The inquiry report, produced by Brazilian lawmakers, alleges Mr Bolsonaro pursued a policy of herd immunity - the scientific term for the point at which a population is protected by enough people having been vaccinated or developed antibodies by catching the disease.

Mourners at a burial site in Manaus - one of the worst hit cities in Brazil

It is alleged the Brazilian government let the virus rip through the country with the aim of achieving widespread immunity - which the report says led to unnecessary infections and deaths.

It describes the president as "the main person responsible for the errors committed by the federal government during the pandemic".

He is also accused of spreading misinformation about the virus.

What actions did Bolsonaro take to stop Covid spreading?

Mr Bolsonaro has said his government "did the right thing from the first moment" of the pandemic.

It closed its land borders to neighbouring countries in March 2020 to stem the outbreak but has never imposed a nationwide lockdown.

President Bolsonaro has continued to hold rallies with supporters throughout the pandemic

If it is up to him, Mr Bolsonaro says, "Brazil will never have a lockdown" because such restrictions only make the poor poorer.

• Covid report: What is herd immunity?

• Fact-checking claims by the Brazilian leader at UN

Throughout the pandemic, he has blocked local leaders' efforts to impose restrictions and called state governors and mayors who imposed lockdowns "tyrants".

He has also resisted other common public-health measures such as masks, saying they are ineffective at stopping the spread of coronavirus - although he has sometimes worn one himself after being ordered to do so by a judge in Brazil.

Mr Bolsonaro hasn't officially backed herd immunity - but his critics say the lack of public-health measures and messaging from the national government show this policy was pursued.

What has he said about treatments and vaccines?

The report also accuses Mr Bolsonaro of spreading misinformation surrounding coronavirus.

He has been sceptical about vaccines, downplayed the severity of the virus, and promoted unproven treatments.

Mr Bolsonaro has:

• said the virus was "just a little flu"

• cast doubts on the efficacy and safety of jabs

• joked the Pfizer jab may "turn people into crocodiles"

• said he would not get vaccinated and, having had Covid, was "better than vaccinated"

• backed a "Covid kit" including unproven and potentially dangerous treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin

Social-media platforms have removed several of Mr Bolsonaro's posts spreading misinformation throughout the pandemic - including a recent video in which the president falsely claimed a link between Covid vaccines and Aids.

What about Brazil's vaccine rollout?

Brazil has had a strong record in conducting vaccination campaigns and compared with many other countries in Latin America, it has a well established healthcare infrastructure.

But its coronavirus vaccination efforts initially lagged behind many others in the region - with critics blaming Mr Bolsonaro for being too slow to purchase doses.

It now has enough doses to vaccinate its entire population and has administered 125 doses per 100 people.

This is more than many countries in the region but remains behind Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

About 54% of people in Brazil are now fully vaccinated, compared with 67% in the UK.

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