Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ignored his own warning against attending large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, greeting supporters on Sunday with handshakes and fist bumps and grabbing their phones to take selfies.
Last Thursday, Bolsonaro repeated guidance from health officials, telling Brazilians to avoid events with lots of people. He changed his tune on Sunday, when his fans held demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other cities in support of his political agenda, Reuters reports. While meeting with some outside of the presidential palace, he called their devotion "priceless," and said while he "suggested" a postponement in large gatherings, "I can't order anything because this protest isn't mine. With everything against them — the press, the virus, the recommendation — the people took to the streets."
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