Brazilian President Ignoring Quarantine Rules... Fined 650 Million Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, is causing controversy as he continues to ignore quarantine rules despite repeated fines imposed by local governments.

According to Brazilian media on the 21st (local time), the S?o Paulo state government announced that President Bolsonaro, who recently visited two cities, Iporanga and Eudorado, was fined the previous day for not complying with quarantine rules such as wearing masks and social distancing. The state government stated that the total fines could reach up to 3 million reais (approximately 650 million KRW) according to regulations.

Since May last year, wearing masks in public places has been mandatory in S?o Paulo state, and fines are imposed on those who violate this rule.

Regarding the COVID-19 situation, this is the sixth time since June 12 that the S?o Paulo state government has fined President Bolsonaro.

President Bolsonaro can appeal the fine, but if the appeal is rejected, he must pay each individual fine; otherwise, he will be listed as a delinquent debtor.

Even after the COVID-19 outbreak became serious in Brazil, President Bolsonaro’s disregard for quarantine rules has continued unabated. He has questioned the preventive effects of vaccines and has not been vaccinated to date.

On the 18th, Marcelo Queiroga, the Minister of Health, sparked controversy by expressing opposition to mandatory mask-wearing and fines for violations in an interview with the YouTube channel "Tersa Livre." "Tersa Livre" supports President Bolsonaro and is under investigation by judicial authorities for spreading COVID-19-related fake news.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.