It is in a short video that Alejandro Dominguez, the president of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), confirmed, Tuesday 1er June, the organization of the Copa America in Brazil (from June 13 to July 11). All smiles, the sports leader ends his performance with a message to the Brazilian Head of State: “I thank President Bolsonaro for the efficiency in his decision-making. “
In a few hours, the Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, responded favorably to the request of the football body in South America, after the withdrawals of Colombia (due to serious political unrest) and Argentina, because of the worsening pandemic on its soil.
But’“Efficiency” of the president on this subject was not appreciated at all in Brazil, while it is non-existent on the management of the pandemic, as the sports commentator of Globo television, Luis Roberto, immediately pointed out: “Brazil, which took nine months to respond to Pfizer’s letter for vaccines, has, on the other hand, taken ten minutes to respond favorably to Conmebol. This is unacceptable. “
The journalist was referring to recent revelations made during the hearing of the president of Pfizer in Latin America by the parliamentary committee in the Senate investigating the pandemic: Carlos Murillo had revealed that the pharmaceutical company had not received any response from Brazil for five contract offers in 2020.
“This will promote the circulation of variants”
While Brazil is the second most bereaved country in the world by the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 465,000 dead, Brazilians have expressed their outrage on social networks by posting images of the Seleçao jersey (the national team) with the entry of the number of deaths from Covid-19, the mascot of the event transformed into a representation of the virus or the hashtag #CepaAmerica (of cepa, strain of the virus) rather than #CopaAmerica.
According to a poll carried out by the company Offerwise and published on June 2, 54% of Brazilians are opposed to the Copa America at home; an expressive figure for the land of football lovers. On the other hand, 72% fear that the holding of the competition will increase the spread of the virus.
The medical profession, once again in no way consulted by the federal executive on this decision, has clearly stated its opposition. The National Council of Secretariats of Health (Conass) of the Brazilian states, which advises governors, recommended canceling the event. However, four states (Brasilia, Goias, Mato Grosso and Rio de Janeiro), led by allies of the president, have opened their stadiums.
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