'What's the World Health Organization Good For?' Bolsonaro Asks

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to withdraw his country from the World Health Organization (WHO) if this United Nations agency maintains its current "ideological bias" in the strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"The U.S. left the WHO and we are analyzing to do the same. Either the WHO works without ideological bias or we are going to withdraw as well," said Bolsonaro, although he did not explain the political behavior that the international organization supposedly has.

Regarding epidemiological measures, however, the Brazilian president has expressed on multiple occasions his desire to avoid quarantines or physical distancing measures.

He also defends the use of chloroquine in the treatment of all COVID-19 patients, which is not recommended by the WHO since this antimalarial medicine's efficacy has not been scientifically proven in the case of the new coronavirus.

"We don't need outsiders to give us clues about health in here," the former Capitan stressed, adding that "What is the WHO good for?"

For the deadly record: On Thursday, a tragic day for the health of Brazilians, President Jair Bolsonaro showed that he is not concerned about death. He decided that the Army's industry IMBEL will sell 5.56 and 7.62 rifles to civilians.

When questioned about the critical comment that the U.S. President Donald Trump made about Brazil's COVID-19 strategy, Bolsonaro preferred not to respond.

"He is my friend, he is my brother. I spoke to him this week. We had a wonderful conversation. I send a hug to Trump. Brazil wants to deepen our relationship more and more. I push for his reelection," the Brazilian president stated.

On Friday, Trump said that Brazil is going through "a difficult time" for having followed Sweden's strategy against the coronavirus, that is, for not confining its population but exposing it to the virus to increase the number of people immunized.