Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has described as “tyrants” state governors and mayors who have imposed lockdowns to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Addressing supporters at his birthday celebrations in Brasilia, he said his government had done all it could and it was now time to reopen the economy.

Last week, the country’s leading health institute Fiocruz warned of a historic collapse of Brazil’s health service. It said intensive care units in hospitals were running out of capacity. Brazil Covid surge reaches critical new peak. Covid vaccines: How fast is worldwide progress?. Mr Bolsonaro, who was 66 on Sunday, has consistently opposed quarantine measures, arguing that the collateral damage to the economy would be worse than the effects of the virus itself. Earlier this month, the president told Brazilians to “stop whining” about the pandemic. Mr Bolsonaro’s handling of the outbreak has triggered widespread criticism both home and abroad.(BBC)…[+]