Brazilian Parliament To Contact Facebook, YouTube Over Bolsonaro's COVID-19 Statements

BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2021) The parliamentary commission investigating possible violations committed by the Brazilian government during the pandemic intends to launch an inquiry with Facebook and YouTube concerning broadcasts of controversial statements made by President Jair Bolsonaro about COVID-19, G1 news portal reported on Friday.

On June 17, Bolsonaro stated that getting infected with coronavirus is more effective than vaccines.

"We will call on Facebook and YouTube to come and answer to the commission about the responsibility for the spread of this type of statements," Randolfe Rodrigues, vice-president of the commission, was cited as saying by G1.

Companies, in his opinion, should explain why they have blocked former US President Donald Trump, but do not adhere to the same rules in regards to Brazil's Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro has been repeatedly accused of downplaying the pandemic risks, as he has defied coronavirus restrictions. Even though he himself contracted the virus last summer, he has repeatedly voiced skepticism over COVID-19 vaccines and only recently slightly changed his stance, given that Brazil has been among the world's leaders in terms of cumulative infections with over 17 million registered cases.