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Brazilian federal police have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro over allegations he falsified his COVID-19 vaccination data in the country's public health database in December 2022 to falsely indicate that he, his daughter, and close associates had received the vaccine. He also faces charges of criminal association for allegedly conspiring with his aides to enter the false data.
The news follows a yearlong investigation into whether the then-president, who was openly skeptical of the vaccines, forged his vaccine card to bypass international entry requirements. This marks the first indictment for the former president, who faces several investigations, including corruption related to vaccine purchases from Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech in 2021 and an alleged coup attempt in 2022.
Brazil’s prosecutor-general will now decide whether to file charges, which would then be judged by the Supreme Court. Analysts suggest he could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of falsifying health data, with up to four years for the criminal association charge. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing.