Brazil suspends COVID vaccine deal with Bharat Biotech | Business and Economic Affairs

Bharat Biotech’s 20 million shooting spree has been the subject of much controversy in Bolsonaro.

Brazil is suspending a $ 324m COVID-19 vaccination deal that has embarrassed President Jair Bolsonaro, accusing him of misconduct, the Health Minister said on Tuesday, following the guidance of the CGU.

Covaxin’s Bharat Biotech shooting deal for $ 20 million has become Bolsonaro’s head after whistleblowers publicly announced the disruption. A senior health official said he had warned the president of his concerns.

Bolsonaro, whose popularity has waned when the death toll from the COVID-19 in Brazil rose to more than 500,000, has denied anything, saying on Monday that he was unaware of any harm. But difficult questions refuse to end, and could cause him trouble before voting for President next year.

Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said at a press conference his team would investigate allegations made during the suspension.

“According to the initial CGU review, there are no violations of the agreement but, following up, the Ministry of Health has decided to suspend the agreement,” the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier on Thursday, CNN Brasil also said the ministry had decided to end the deal.

Officials in Brazil have opened the study, citing high prices, urgent negotiations and legal recognition such as red flags. It is also being investigated by a Senate panel investigating the government’s response to the epidemic.

A few negatives

Homeland Security spokesman Luis Miranda, speaking on Friday at the end of a major committee investigating the Bolsonaro outbreak, said he had held a meeting with the president in March where he described the growing crisis over the purchase of Covaxin vaccine, produced by India Bharat Biotech Mayiko Ltd.

In the interview, as Miranda explained, Bolsonaro criticized their small house leader, Ricardo Barros, for interfering in the health service, but did not stop buying.

Luis Ricardo Miranda, a brother-in-law of the lawmaker and a staff member at the Ministry of Health, told the media that in examining the documents regarding the purchase of the vaccine, it was found to be inconsistent with the Bharat Biotech agreement. He also said that diversity will be a means of payment, product quantity and identification of intermediate companies.

One of the leaders of the opposition group filed a lawsuit against Bolsonaro in the Supreme Court on Monday. Senator Randolfe Rodrigues said he wanted the court to investigate “these serious cases” and to find out why Bolsonaro “did not act after being informed of a serious conspiracy in the Ministry of Health”.

This is the first time that the media that has responded to the government’s response to the scandal has investigated false allegations against government officials. To date, they have been closely monitoring the delay in purchasing vaccines and the government to find illegal COVID drugs.