Health Minister to Leave Amid the Pandemic
The president previously fired former health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta for posting public announcements that supported lockdowns.
Bolsonaro saw this as blatant disobedience of his presidential orders, which were to resume regular operations despite the health crisis. Similarly, Teich criticized the president's opposition to the mitigation measures initiated by local governments.
Teich's resignation follows disagreements
Last month, prior to his leave of the position as health minister, Mandetta said in an online broadcast that he predicted he would be fired. After acknowledging his differences with the president, he sought to find a replacement as soon as possible.
"Our focus is on the virus," he said. He added that the government must be careful to support the health ministry, particularly the person who would fill in his position, and that making sudden movements would cost Brazil more.
As of yet, Teich did not disclose why he resigned at the most recent news conference, but he did have many disagreements with Bolsonaro during his time as health minister.
Bolsonaro recently issued a decree that allowed gyms and other establishments to reopen in order to boost the economy. Teich said that he was not consulted for this decision, but he said that the instructions were suggestions outlined by the administration, and that local authorities would be responsible for deciding whether or not to comply with them.
On Tuesday, Bolsonaro said that the governors and mayors should not have the authority to contemplate on his orders.
When the president declared hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for patients with COVID-19, Teich disagreed because of the lack of evidence that proved its effectiveness, according to Globo.
In a report, Teich explained instead that he left the job because he was preoccupied with his life to remain in the health ministry.
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Gyms and salons as essential activities
Earlier this week, Bolsonaro included gyms and beauty parlors in the essential activities in the country.
State governors of Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Pará, and Rio de Janeir announced they will not follow the federal government's orders to reopen these establishments. Instead, they will push through with the home isolation measures and social distancing.
Governor Flavio Dino posted on Twitter a criticism of the administration, taking a jab at Bolsonaro for jet-skiing while the rest of the country was handling the pandemic.
Teich was especially surprised at the president's decision to issue the decree, claiming that the decision was beyond his powers as health minister as local governments would ultimately be responsible for following Bolsonaro's instructions.
In the interview, he said, "It didn't go through the ministry."
Co-head of global emerging markets and G-10 linear FX Chris Taendler said that uncertainty would not attract investors, especially for a country whose president was looking to reopen the markets. He added that it was important for the investors to recognize who was running the country's operations.
If news of Mexico's health minister quitting within weeks was any indication, not to mention the state governors conducting their own coronavirus initiatives, then Bolsonaro may have proved that the nation's leaders were deeply at odd ends with each other.
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