Brazil Establishes COVID-19 Victims' Memorial Day, Lula Criticizes Former President's Pandemic Missteps
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree on May 11, designating March 12 as the 'National Day for COVID-19 Victims' to honor the over 716,000 Brazilians who died from the virus by August 2025. Lula criticized the former Bolsonaro administration for its handling of the pandemic, suggesting that many deaths could have been prevented by following expert advice. The day is intended to institutionalize collective memory and prevent future tragedies.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 08:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 12, 2026 at 08:32 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 12, 2026 at 09:31 (58 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Tang Ya-ling, São Paulo, 11th exclusive report) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today signed a decree at the presidential palace, designating March 12th each year as the "National COVID-19 Victims' Memorial Day" to mourn the more than 700,000 Brazilians who died during the pandemic. This move not only carries symbolic and educational significance but also reignites scrutiny of former President Jair Bolsonaro's pandemic prevention policies.
Brazilian news website G1 reported that the new law originates from March 12, 2020, when Brazil recorded its first COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus disease) death. According to statistics from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, by August 2025, Brazil had accumulated over 716,000 deaths from COVID-19, making it one of the countries most severely affected by the pandemic globally. The year 2021 was the deadliest, with over 420,000 deaths.
In his speech, Lula (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) stated directly that if the government at the time had followed the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts, the number of deaths could have been reduced. He criticized the Bolsonaro (Jair Bolsonaro) government for its "absolute ignorance" in vaccine procurement, changes in the head of the Ministry of Health, and the promotion of controversial drugs like chloroquine. Lula also singled out Bolsonaro's son, former Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, calling him a "fugitive" and accusing him of attempting to incite subversion of Brazilian democracy while in the United States.
During the ceremony, First Lady Janja da Silva also recalled the pain of her mother's death from the infection, criticizing the then-government's lack of support for protective measures such as masks. She stated: "I will never forget, this is the meaning of memory."
Proposer, Congressman Pedro Uczai, and rapporteur, Senator Humberto Costa, both pointed out that the memorial day is not only for remembrance but also for educating future generations to avoid repeating past mistakes.
According to the report, Brazil's pandemic prevention controversies remain a focus of political and social discussion. The Lula government, through legislative commemoration, seeks to institutionalize collective memory and demand accountability to ensure that such tragedies do not recur. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150512
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Tang Ya-ling, São Paulo, 11th exclusive report) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today signed a decree at the presidential palace, designating March 12th each year as the "National COVID-19 Victims' Memorial Day" to mourn the more than 700,000 Brazilians who died during the pandemic. This move not only carries symbolic and educational significance but also reignites scrutiny of former President Jair Bolsonaro's pandemic prevention policies.
Brazilian news website G1 reported that the new law originates from March 12, 2020, when Brazil recorded its first COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus disease) death. According to statistics from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, by August 2025, Brazil had accumulated over 716,000 deaths from COVID-19, making it one of the countries most severely affected by the pandemic globally. The year 2021 was the deadliest, with over 420,000 deaths.
In his speech, Lula (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) stated directly that if the government at the time had followed the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts, the number of deaths could have been reduced. He criticized the Bolsonaro (Jair Bolsonaro) government for its "absolute ignorance" in vaccine procurement, changes in the head of the Ministry of Health, and the promotion of controversial drugs like chloroquine. Lula also singled out Bolsonaro's son, former Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, calling him a "fugitive" and accusing him of attempting to incite subversion of Brazilian democracy while in the United States.
During the ceremony, First Lady Janja da Silva also recalled the pain of her mother's death from the infection, criticizing the then-government's lack of support for protective measures such as masks. She stated: "I will never forget, this is the meaning of memory."
Proposer, Congressman Pedro Uczai, and rapporteur, Senator Humberto Costa, both pointed out that the memorial day is not only for remembrance but also for educating future generations to avoid repeating past mistakes.
According to the report, Brazil's pandemic prevention controversies remain a focus of political and social discussion. The Lula government, through legislative commemoration, seeks to institutionalize collective memory and demand accountability to ensure that such tragedies do not recur. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150512
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.