Brazil: Political crisis and Covid surge rock Bolsonaro

Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro is facing the biggest crisis of his presidency after the heads of the army, navy and air force all quit and the country recorded its highest daily Covid-19 death toll. The unprecedented resignation of the defence chiefs is being seen as a protest at attempts by Mr Bolsonaro to exert undue control over the military.

Mr Bolsonaro's popularity has plummeted over his response to Covid-19. Nearly 314,000 people have died, with a new daily record of 3,780 on Tuesday. What's the situation with Covid? Worldwide, Brazil has the second highest number of total confirmed Covid cases with more than 12.6m. Only the United States has had more. Earlier this month the Brazilian public health institute Fiocruz warned the health system was close to collapse, with more than 80% of intensive care unit beds occupied in most of the country's states. Daily confirmed deaths in Brazil graphic An epidemiologist in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Dr Pedro Hallal, told the BBC he feared Brazil could become a threat to global public health. Covid map: Where are cases the highest? Covid vaccines: How fast is worldwide progress? President Bolsonaro has consistently opposed lockdown measures, arguing that the damage to the economy would be worse than the effects of the coronavirus itself. He has also told Brazilians to "stop whining" about the situation. But last week, Mr Bolsonaro, who has previously raised doubts about vaccines and defended unproven drugs as treatment, said that he would make 2021 the year of vaccinations. "Very soon we'll resume our normal lives," he said. So far Brazil has vaccinated just over 8% of the population, with some 17.7m vaccine doses dispensed. media captionOne epidemiologist in Brazil fears the country is "becoming a threat to global public health" What is the political fallout? The president's popularity has plummeted over his handling of the pandemic, with 43% of Brazilians saying Mr Bolsonaro is to blame for the Covid crisis, according to a Datafolha poll published in mid-March. His government is in turmoil. On 16 March a new health minister took office - the fourth since the pandemic began. Marcelo Queiroga, a cardiologist, replaced an army officer with no medical training. On Monday the defence and foreign ministers resigned, prompting a cabinet reshuffle. The foreign minister was accused of mishandling relations with China, resulting in a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines.