Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will be required to wear a face mask when in public after a federal judge in the South American nation said his refusal to do so is a constitutional offense.
Judge Renato Borelli’s ruling comes after a lawyer sued Bolsonaro and his presidential staff for failing to comply with new legislation instituted in the Brazilian federal district in April to fight against the spread of the coronavirus.
“The president has a constitutional obligation to follow the laws in force in the country, as well as to promote the general welfare of the people, which means taking the necessary measures to protect citizens’ right to health,” Borelli wrote.
Bolsonaro, who has flaunted mask policy by interacting maskless with large crowds of Brazilian supporters, will be fined $360 if he refuses to comply with the court’s decree. Borelli said that Bolsonaro’s refusal to wear a face mask was “irresponsible” and that the president of Brazil “has exposed other people to the contagion of a disease that has caused national commotion.”
Borelli’s ruling comes after a separate court order demanded Bolsonaro’s administration hand over medical records stemming from a highly-publicized incident in March when Bolsonaro allegedly tested positive for the coronavirus before sharing two negative tests with the public.
