Brazilian police raided former President Jair Bolsonaro’s home and confiscated his mobile phone as part of an investigation into fake COVID-19 vaccine records that could allow him and his senior aides to enter the United States. newspaper reports New York Times.
More than 10 homes were searched in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, and six people suspected of tampering with the government’s vaccine database and publishing false records, including Bolsonaro’s closest aide and two bodyguards, were arrested, according to the NYT.
According to Brazilian officials, Bolsonaro, his 12-year-old daughter Laura, and other senior officials in his administration may have been given fake vaccination certificates. Police said vaccination records were falsified between November 2021 and December 2022.
Bolsonaro is a suspect in the investigation, according to documents released by the Brazilian Supreme Court. In its decision confirming the searches, the Supreme Court said that the investigation link between the politician and the possible crime was “reasonable, logical and reliable”.
In 2021, current Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused He was charged with nine crimes, including violating health measures for speaking to fans and attending public events without a mask, contributing to the spread of the epidemic, promoting the use of drugs with unproven efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19, and being skeptical about the vaccine.