President Trump defended his friend and ally, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, amid worries the South American country will become a COVID-19 hotspot.
“I think he’s doing a very good job, he’s a great friend of mine. And the president is doing really well in Brazil. We’re very proud of him,” said Mr. Trump as he departed the White House for Camp David.
Mr. Bolsonaro is taking heat for dismissing the coronavirus as little more than a cold. He also faces political pressure, after the explosive resignation of Justice Minister Sergio Moro.
Brazil has recorded over 91,000 coronavirus cases. The Amazon city of Manaus is reportedly digging mass graves to keep up with the dead, and there are fears the problem will only worsen as the Southern Hemisphere enters its colder months.
“They’ve been hit hard, very hard, but you have a president that’s doing a very good job,” Mr. Trump said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Mr. Trump this week he thinks it might be wise to screen Brazilian airline passengers flying into Miami with a rapid COVID-19 test before they board.
Mr. Trump asked the governor if he wanted to cut off travel from Brazil completely, but the governor said he’s only looking to test them for now.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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