Civil society organizations support governors and mayors in the fight against the pandemic

The civil society organizations Arns Commission, the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), and the Brazilian Press Association (ABI), signatories of the Pact for Life and for Brazil, met today, March 15, with governors and mayors of several states and capitals to express their support for efforts to confront the pandemic in Brazil.

In addition to the presence of the presidents of the aforementioned organizations, the virtual event was attended by governors Wellington Dias, of the state of Piauí, and coordinator of the National Governors Forum; Fátima Bezerra, governor of the state of Rio Grande do Norte; Camilo Santana, governor of the state of Ceará; Renato Casagrande, governor of the state of Espírito Santo, and Flávio Dino, governor of the state of Maranhão. Also present were the vice-governor of Piauí, Regina Souza, and the president of the National Front of Mayors, Jonas Donizetti, mayor of Campinas.

The meeting was marked by the delivery of the document “People must not pay with their own lives” to the governors and mayors, a manifestation that expresses the concern of several sectors of society with the federal government's handling of the pandemic. The text denounces: “It is time to stop the escalation of death! The Brazilian population needs a vaccine now. The virus will not go away through obscurantism, angry speeches, or offensive statements. Enough of this foolishness and irresponsibility. In addition to the need for a vaccine now and for everyone, Brazil urgently needs the Ministry of Health to fulfill its role as an effective fomenter of health policies at a national level, ensuring quick access to medication and tests that are endorsed by science, the constant traceability of the virus, and a minimum of peace to the people.

Opening the meeting, the president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), Dom Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo, affirmed that “there is a lack of adequate and lucid behavior from the Brazilian government.” Felipe Santa Cruz, president of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), alerted to the fact that “the Brazilian people are exhausted; we cannot go on like this.” This government, said Santa Cruz, "works to see Brazil on fire. We need to stand up for democracy.”

José Carlos Dias, president of the Arns Commission, called on the governors, the mayors, the Congress, and the Supreme Federal Court to “guide our steps.” For him, Brazil is seriously ill; old and young people alike have to be sensitized. “Inaction and negationism kill!” he warned.

The president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), Luiz Davidovich asserted that “science is on the side of the Brazilian population.” “We have to unite Brazil in the fight against Covid and foolishness,” he summarized. Representing the president of the Brazilian Press Association (ABI), the institution's director Juca Kfouri said that “worse than Covid is the pandemic called Jair Bolsonaro, which is devastating us. The Brazilian Press Associations supports the impeachment of Bolsonaro and calls on the governors to pressure their benches in Congress to support this initiative as well.”

On behalf of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), its president Ildeu de Castro Moreira stressed that “what kills” is the negationism, the omission, the lack of a national plan to combat the pandemic, the false promises. He called attention to the anti-democratic attitudes of the federal government and asked for national unity to enable adequate actions at this moment.

By pointing out that we are “in the middle of a national collapse in the public and private health sectors,” governor Wellington Dias thanked the document, highlighting that “social distancing is the way.” But he added: “We need a national coordination; we need more vaccines and emergency aid.” Dias also defended unemployment insurance for the workers affected by the pandemic. He recalled that “the government has sent to the Congress a proposal with 43 billion reais less in the health budget, in such a delicate moment like this.”

With the appropriate decisions, said Dias, Brazil has “real conditions, with Fiocruz, the Butantã Institute, União Química, among other laboratories, to achieve the vaccination of the entire risk group by April, which accounts for 70% of hospitalizations, therefore reducing the pressure on the hospital system.”

Watch the full meeting!