"Freitas, a close ally of the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, made the comment during a press conference about his response to an alcohol contamination scandal focused on his state that has killed at least three people. The victims include a 30-year-old mother who died after drinking a vodka and fruit juice cocktail at a party. Brazil's health minister, Alexandre Padilha, a doctor, has urged citizens to avoid white spirits such as vodka and gin until authorities discover the source of the tainted drinks. We're not talking about an essential product in people's lives, Padilha said last week."
"[Alcohol] isn't my cup of tea, said the presidential hopeful. The day they start faking Coca-Cola is the day I'll worry. It's just as well they haven't reached this point yet, Freitas added with an awkward smile. The remark went viral and unleashed a torrent of criticism, with many comparing it to Bolsonaro's callous and incompetent response to Covid, which killed more than 700,000 Brazilians."
"So what? I'm sorry. What do you want me to do? Bolsonaro asked a reporter in April 2020 when asked about the fast-rising death toll. Freitas who hopes to inherit Bolsonaro's political movement after his mentor's recent sentencing to 27 years in prison for plotting a military coup voiced regret for his comments on Tuesday. He admitted cracking a joke to lighten the mood but claimed his words had been really misinterpreted."
Sao Paulo governor Tarcisio de Freitas apologized after making a joke about a deadly methanol poisoning crisis, saying he would only start worrying when bootleggers began faking Coca-Cola. The contamination has killed at least three people, including a 30-year-old mother who drank a vodka and fruit juice cocktail. Health minister Alexandre Padilha urged citizens to avoid white spirits such as vodka and gin until authorities find the source of the tainted drinks, noting they are not essential products. The joke went viral and provoked strong criticism, with many comparing the response to Jair Bolsonaro's handling of Covid. Freitas, a close Bolsonaro ally who hopes to inherit his movement, said he cracked a joke to lighten the mood and asked for forgiveness, claiming misinterpretation.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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