Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro stepped up criticism of a Chinese vaccine being developed in partnership with a renowned research institute in Brazil, saying the Asian country lacks credibility to come up with solutions for the coronavirus crisis.
“We won’t buy it from China, it’s my decision,” Bolsonaro said in a radio interview late Wednesday, adding that people wouldn’t feel safe with Sinovac Biotech Ltd’s vaccine “due to its origin.”
Bolsonaro said Brazil spent 2 billion reais ($359 million) to develop a vaccine with AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University, which is in a similar trial stage. China’s Sinovac is partnering with the country’s prestigious Butantan Institute locally, which is under the watch of one of the president’s main rivals: Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria.
Doria criticized the president Thursday, saying that denying access to the shot “is criminal.” He added that the country’s governors would give Bolsonaro until Friday to change his mind before they take action, including possibly bringing their complaint to the Supreme Court. Earlier this year, the court ruled against the leader and in favor of the right of state leaders to define lockdown and social distancing protocols.
“The president cannot forbid governors from signing bilateral deals and purchasing vaccines,” said Paulo Almeida, a Sao Paulo-based lawyer who specializes in public policy. According to Almeida, Bolsonaro’s decision jeopardizes nationwide vaccination.
Later on Thursday, the general-director of the Butantan Institute told website UOL that Brazil’s health agency Anvisa was hampering imports of raw materials from China needed to produce Sinovac’s vaccine.
Anvisa said in a statement it will make a decision on Sinovac's request to import raw materials in as many as five days.
“Chinese Vaccine”
Only hours before the radio interview, Bolsonaro blasted what he called “Joao Doria’s Chinese vaccine” and disavowed an announcement from his health minister Eduardo Pazuello that it would be distributed nationwide if successful in tests.
Read more: Bolsonaro Slams Chinese Vaccine His Government Agreed to Buy
Pazuello, who is currently infected with the virus and resting in a military hotel, appeared beside Bolsonaro on the hotel balcony on Thursday afternoon. “The boss commands and we obey,” he said.
“The president’s remarks only make the population feel insecure and suspicious,” said Natalia Pasternak, a microbiologist and director of NGO Instituto Questao de Ciencia. “A vaccine has no nationality, it only has to be effective.”
The spat over the vaccine coincides with broader signs that Bolsonaro is backtracking on his strategy to warm-up relations with China, Brazil’s top trading partner.
Go inside the race for a coronavirus shot with Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker
Earlier this week, Bolsonaro warmly welcomed a U.S. delegation led by National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, who visited Brazil with a strong anti-China agenda. O’Brien vowed to assist the country in many ways, including financially, to block Huawei Technologies Co. from participating in the upcoming Brazilian 5G network. A top Brazil official said in an interview that a Huawei ban is being considered for concerns over the network’s security.
After meeting O’Brien, Bolsonaro reiterated his support for the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump and said he’s looking forward to attending his inauguration.
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