Coronavirus Spikes Beyond Control In Latin America, Brazil; Critics Allege 'This Is A Government Of Death'

Things seem far from okay in Latin America, which is now home to an overflowing number of coronavirus cases -- with over 120,000 of the world’s 524,000 coronavirus fatalities.

While political figures continue to amass severe backlash for their muddled approach when it comes to handling the pandemic, the latest in line to contract the virus happens to be mayor Arthur Virgílio, who checked into a healthcare facility for non-invasive respiratory support. “We mustn’t underestimate Covid. It changes constantly and attacks from all sides,” said Virgilio, in a video that was filmed during his stay for treatment at the ward. “It’s like an evil army that has organized to harm humanity,” he added.

Brazil, Latin America’s biggest economy, has plunged into turmoil, while things continue to look grim in Mexico, despite its president and left-wing populist Andrés Manuel López Obrador stating otherwise. Mexico has logged a death toll of 30,000 and counting. Brazil continues to grapple under grim conditions, as several attributes the current reality which sees over 1.5 million Brazilians infected, to president Jair Bolsonaro’s gore negligence when it came to exercising caution.

From undermining the severity of the pandemic and flouting social distancing to thumbing his nose at lockdown rules and health warnings, Bolsonaro’s management is being hailed a monumental failure by health officials and the people alike. What irks people more is the fact that Bolsonaro continues to greenlight requests to open the economy. The seaside city of Rio de Janeiro, for instance, saw the reopening of bars, clubs and restaurants that had scores of patrons flock by, despite the surge in the cases.

“This is the government of death,” said Cristiano Rodrigues, a political scientist to a media outlet, chiding Bolsonaro’s atrocious approach to the pandemic.

On the upside, there has reportedly been slow progress in Uruguay, Paraguay, and The Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil: Aggressive testing has helped in containing the virus to a great deal in Uruguay, with only 28 deaths. On the other hand, stringent lockdown measures in Paraguay have kept the death toll less than 20. Guayaquil seemed to have risen from the ashes -- health brigades tending to each and every household has combatted the ghastly trend that saw corpses being dumped on the streets.