March 19 (UPI) – The Brazilian government on Tuesday called for criminal charges to be filed against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination evidence before traveling to the United States.
A computer IP address located in Brazil’s presidential palace was reportedly used to print fraudulent vaccination cards before Bolsonaro traveled to the United States in 2022, which then only allowed access to vaccinated people.
“In addition, when he was president he totally exempted from presenting any type of certificate to travel,” he said on social media.
A Brazilian police report received via the Washington Post says Bolsonaro had a direct link to the alleged fraud and that a very sensible former aide to Bolsonaro admitted to receiving orders from the then-president to falsify the record.
This is not the first time he has faced accusations of wrongdoing or spreading false or misleading information. But it is the first time Bolsonaro, 68, is on the verge of facing criminal charges in a country where he is barred from running for political office until 2030. He also faces accusations of attempted coup.
An October 2021 report submitted by Brazil’s Congress indicated that Bolsonaro would be charged with “crimes against humanity” for allowing the COVID-19 virus to ravage the South American country in a failed attempt to achieve herd immunity.
This came two months later, in December, through a ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Court investigating his false claims that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 can increase the risk of contracting AIDS.