27 Oct 2021

Brazil senate committee voting on prosecution against Bolsonaro

From Morning Report, 7:48 am on 27 October 2021

Brazilian lawmakers are voting today whether to endorse calls for the President to be charged for crimes against humanity, over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It's the culmination of a months-long inquiry, which resulted in a report containing allegations of falsifed documents and misuse of public funds by Jair Bolsonaro.

The 66-year-old leader has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the virus, pedalled misinformation and touted unproven treatments. Brazil has the world's second-highest Covid-19 death toll, just after the United States.

BBC South America correspondent Katy Watson spoke to Corin Dann.