Updated on March, 28th
On March 25th, the Brazilian government’ official profile on Instagram posted a campaign called #BrasilNãoPodeParar (or ‘Brazil Cannot Stop’). The campaign against isolation measures corroborates the controversial speeches of the President Jair Bolsonaro in recent days, and contradicts the decisions announced by the Ministry of Health, as well as state and city governments to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
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In some cities, there were demonstrations by Bolsonaro supporters in favor of the campaign. A good number of entrepreneurs have also spoken out against the isolation measures, claiming that the economic impact would be more damaging than that caused by the pandemic.
To carry out with this campaign the government hired an advertising agency for BRL 4.9 million, say Época and Estadão.
In its official profile on Instagram, the Brazilian government said that the isolation measure should be vertical: only applied to elderly group. “Almost all deaths occurred with the elderly. Therefore, it is necessary to protect these people and all members of risk groups, with all care, affection and respect. For them, isolation. For all the others, distance, extra attention and a lot of responsibility. With care and awareness, we’ll return to normality “, says the update.
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On Saturday, 28th, the post on Instagram was no longer there. After negative reactions from experts, civil society and also politicians, the government erased at least three publications with the slogan on social networks that advocated the end of social isolation, according to the newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo. Now, the presidential office denies having released the official pieces.
This Saturday, on-duty judge Laura Bastos Carvalho, of the Federal Justice of Rio de Janeiro, accepted the request of the the federal prosecutor’s office, known as the MPF and ordered the Union to suspend the ‘Brazil Cannot Stop’ campaign, which preaches the end of social isolation and the reopening of trade.
Up to this Saturday, Brazil has registered 3.906 confirmed cases and 111 deaths by COVID-19, the largest number of cases in Latin America.
