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A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 20 March 2020
Brazil’s Bolsonaro strives to regain leadership amid virus

By DIANE JEANTET measures.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Af- For the first time since the
ter questioning the serious- outbreak, he thanked law-
ness of COVID-19, defying makers for their efforts and
his own health ministry's called on them to approve
recommendations and de- a "state of calamity," which
nouncing a "certain hyste- would allow the govern-
ria," Brazil's president is now ment to spend more than
projecting himself as lead- the annual budget allows,
ing the nation's response with funds going toward
to the coronavirus crisis in health and job preserva-
what has become one of tion.
the biggest challenges to But the press conference
his presidency. conveyed mixed messages
President Jair Bolsonaro about how to deal with the
provoked the ire of many pandemic. While vowing to
Brazilians and even former fight the outbreak, he sat
political allies with his blasé shoulder-to-shoulder with
attitude to the global pan- his ministers in a violation of
demic and insistence on the social distancing pre-
shaking supporters' hands scribed by international au-
at a protest. One of Brazil's thorities. Government offi-
most popular news sites, cials wore white masks, but
UOL, reported Bolsonaro Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro puts on a mask during a press conference on the new coronavirus several of them, including
had suggested the Chinese at the Planalto Presidential Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, March 18, 2019. Bolsonaro, removed them
government caused the Associated Press repeatedly when speaking.
coronavirus outbreak — a "As the head of the execu-
claim later voiced publicly has done none of these ing as a kind of catalyst, Faced with a growing tive I have to be in the front
by his son, a lawmaker. Chi- things, except for closing channeling all this discon- backlash, a concerned- lines with my people," Bra-
na's embassy rebuffed the a stretch of its vast bor- tent and accelerating the looking Bolsonaro, flanked zil's president said. "Don't
allegations, saying on Twit- der with Venezuela. Flights process" against Bolsonaro, by many of his ministers, on be surprised if you see me
ter they were "extremely ir- continue in and out of the said Carlos Melo, a political Wednesday gave his first entering a crowded bar
responsible." country. No lockdowns science professor at the In- press conference on the in Sao Paulo, a ferry from
While countries around Lat- have been ordered and sper University in Sao Paulo. coronavirus at Brazil's presi- Niteroi to Rio or in a bus in
in America and the world state governments and "When he came out to the dential palace. During the Belo Horizonte."
have closed borders, quar- municipalities have taken streets for the protests, he two-hour event, Bolsonaro Critics say Bolsonaro's
antined millions, canceled the lead in telling people to made a very big, very seri- said he would redouble ef- about-face on the virus fol-
international flights, and stay home. ous mistake. Now he is try- forts to fight COVID-19, but lows U.S. President Donald
shut down schools, Brazil "Coronavirus in Brazil is act- ing to regain control." did not announce any new Trump's example. q

400 foreigners stranded in Panama after ‘tribal’ festival

country had risen to 109 countries due to flight and not been the help with the
and that a nighttime cur- transport cancellations re- cost of buses, there's not
few would be imposed be- lated to the coronavirus been the help with flying
ginning Wednesday night. outbreak. and food and those kind of
James Baker of Manches- Baker said the group had things."
ter, England, said those at- tents, medial support and Government officials re-
tending the Tribal Gather- food for about a month. ported late in the day that
ing included people from "The mood is generally Panama had 109 con-
Spain, Canada, the United good, a lot of people do firmed cases of the virus,
States, Denmark, France, obviously want to go home, including one death.
Britain and Hungary as well so again, it's about getting President Laurentino Cor-
as Costa Rica, Colombia, the help from the authori- tizo then decreed a coun-
Chile and Mexico. ties so they can be taken trywide curfew starting
Baker said authorities in back home as quickly and Wednesday night, requir-
Panama had instituted a safely as possible," he said. ing nearly all Panamanians
requirement that all those Baker said two people who to stay inside from 9 p.m. to
A Panamanian health worker checks the temperature of a man
attending the annual Tribal Gathering on Playa Chiquita, Pana- seeking to leave had to had fevers at the festival 5 a.m.
ma, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. prove they had been in tested negative for coro- Excepted are employees
Associated Press Panama for at least 14 navirus. working in essential areas
days. Most of the esti- "What we're telling people such as police and firefight-
Associated Press concert site near the Ca- mated 2,300 attendees at to do is get in touch with ing, hospitals and phar-
PLAYA CHIQUITA, Panama ribbean beach of Playa the event, which ran Feb. their embassies to get their macies, supermarkets and
(AP) — Between 400 and Chiquita, an organizer said 29-March 15, have been help, like we say, we need restaurant delivery, agricul-
500 foreigners are stranded Wednesday. able to leave. and request the help of ture and food production,
in Panama after a "tribal" At the same time, Pan- But Baker said many of the all authorities and embas- hotels and banks, media
festival and music event ama's government an- remaining festival goers sies," Baker said. "To date, and telecommunications,
ended with many of them nounced that the number and staff might need help we've had very limited help and shipping and public
being quarantined at the of coronavirus cases in the getting back to their home from them. To date, there's transportation.q