Members of the Brazilian Senate recently voted in favor of charging President Jair Bolsonaro with crimes against humanity over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, approximately 600,000 people have died due to the deadly virus since the pandemic started last year.
Seven Brazilian senators want Jair Bolsonaro to be charged
The 11-member Senate voted seven to four this week to recommend the charges against Bolsonaro. And these were backed by lawmakers. The vote also came in the heels of a six-month investigation of the government's handling of the pandemic that concluded recently.
Bolsonaro could be charged with inciting a pandemic, as well as violating health protocols. He is also accused of falsifying public documents and the irregular use of public funds, among many others.
Jair Bolsonaro doesn't take COVID-19 seriously
According to NPR, Bolsonaro's management of the crisis has always seemed dismissive. After all, he never took the deadly virus seriously. In fact, he continues to compare it to the flu.
Bolsonaro also thinks that the claims of how dangerous COVID-19 could be are exaggerated.
Earlier this week, the president called the findings against him biased.
"They label me as genocidal, charlatan, document forger, and exterminator. It is absurd what these guys have done," he said via CNN.
Brazilians want their president to be impeached
Earlier this month, Brazilians protested against the president, speculating that he could be the second impeached Brazilian leader in history.
At the time, thousands of demonstrators flocked to the streets of Brazil to call for the impeachment of the president.
Bolsonaro's critics do not think he should continue leading the country, especially during such a difficult time.
After all, the Brazilian president paved the way for the number of active COVID-19 cases to increase because he refused to impose a statewide lockdown.
Bolsonaro also refused to get vaccinated, and he is not encouraging Brazilians to get the jab.
His refusal to get vaccinated and his belief that the deadly virus is not that serious resulted in Bolsonaro testing positive for COVID-19. After he survived the ordeal, Bolsonaro said that he was healthier than those who were vaccinated because he already had antibodies.
Allegations of mass homicide, genocide dropped
But just last week, allegations of mass homicide and genocide against Bolsonaro were dropped due to a lack of consensus.
According to reports, Brazilian senators withdrew their recommendations for charges against the president.
This is not the first time that Bolsonaro was involved in a major controversy.
Earlier this year, reports suggested that the president could be charged concerning The Hague over the Amazon rainforest.
Reports revealed that indigenous leaders in Brazil are urging the court to investigate the Brazilian president over his dismantling of environmental policies and violations of indigenous rights.
Since he became president, vast stretches of rainforests have been destroyed in Brazil. Deforestation has also increased by 50 percent in two years.
Additionally, invasions of indigenous territories increased by 153 percent. And 18 people were killed amid land-related conflicts.
"While the scenario is getting worse and worse, the government is reducing enforcement. It is frightening to see that there is a coordinated attack on the climate, the forest, and its people," Marcio Astrini, the executive director of Climate Observatory, said via The Guardian.
Related Article: Will President Jair Bolsonaro Become the Second Impeached Brazilian Leader? Protesters March Due To His Mishandling of COVID-19 Pandemic
