Brazil’s Health Minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta on Thursday, was sacked by President Jair Bolsonaro.
Both have been at loggerheads over the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro had ignored the advice of health experts over coronavirus, comparing the dreaded virus to a “little flu.”
Bolsonaro ignored social distancing guidelines and met with the people.
Meanwhile, Mandetta promoted isolation as a measure to contain the spread of the virus, which Bolsonaro repeatedly claimed was overblown.
Mandetta announced his sack on Twitter page following a meeting with Bolsonaro at the presidential palace in the capital Brasilia.
His post written in Portuguese while translated read: “I just heard from President Jair Bolsonaro the notice of my resignation from the Ministry of Health.
“ I want to thank the opportunity that I was given, to be a manager of our SUS, to set up the project to improve the health of Brazilians and to plan to face the coronavirus pandemic, the great challenge that our health system is facing.
“I thank the entire team that was with me at the Ministry of Health and I wish my successor success as Minister of Health. I pray God and Our Lady Aparecida to bless our country a lot.”
Brazil, the largest country in South America with a population of 210 million, has recorded close to 2,000 deaths and more than 30,000 coronavirus cases.
