Brazilian Police To Charge Ex-president For Forging COVID-19 Certificate

Brazilian police have recommended that former President Jair Bolsonaro be charged for the alleged forging of his Coronavirus vaccination certificate, adding to his panoply of legal woes.

Bolsonaro has been under investigation since last year over an alleged plot to falsify his Covid vaccination records during a presidency in which he came under fire for dismissing the severity of the pandemic.

The federal police said in a 231-page report that Bolsonaro and 16 other people had plotted to issue “the false certificates to obtain undue advantages” as the virus raged.

It is now up to the Attorney-General’s office to decide whether to charge Bolsonaro in the case.

Bolsonaro, who once joked the vaccine could “turn you into an alligator,” has previously admitted he is not vaccinated.

In May 2023, the 68-year-old was questioned by the police about the allegations, and his house was also raided.

He denied the charges, saying authorities were trying to “fabricate a case” against him.

Brazil’s Comptroller-General’s office in January confirmed that Bolsonaro’s Covid vaccination certificate was forged, but recommended closing the case due to a “lack of sufficient evidence” over who had entered the false data.