With more than 80,000 confirmed cases and 5,500 deaths, Brazil is fast rising through the ranks of a grim metric – countries most affected by Covid-19.
For its president, Jair Bolsonaro, "just a little flu" is no reason to prevent Brazilians resuming their daily lives, even as experts say insufficient testing is masking infection rates. Some states are already easing restrictions on shopping malls, gyms and churches.
Bolsonaro has an imperative to get the economy moving and distract from his multiple political crises.
He fired his health minister in a dispute over the Covid-19 response. His justice minister, the famous judge who oversaw the "Carwash" probes into corruption, quit over Bolsonaro's move to replace the national police chief. A court has now halted the president's bid to install a close ally as top cop.
There are ongoing tensions with his economy minister — whom markets trust — over how much Bolsonaro should rely on public spending to bolster growth.
The president is sparring with Congress over his reform agenda and with state leaders over his demands they avoid stringent virus restrictions.
He's staked his popularity on being an ordinary guy, outside the cushy establishment of Brasilia. He pledged to be tough on graft and kick-start the economy. Both promises are under threat.
Bolsonaro wants the economic wheels moving again to avoid further deterioration in his public support ahead of October mid-term elections. But with the virus on the loose, he could be playing with fire.
— Rosalind Mathieson
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