Six bills are currently being introduced in the Brazilian senate that would criminalize those who refuse the mandated dose of COVID shots or who comment negatively about the vaccine’s efficacy and safety, the Rio Times reported.
Senator Angelo Coronel of the Social Democratic Party of Brazil authored a bill (PL 5555/2020), which proposes adding a one- to three-year prison sentence to the Criminal Code for those “who omit or oppose the mandatory vaccination of children or adolescents” during a declared “public health emergency.”
Those who choose not to comply with the country’s forced vaccination schedule will face a prison sentence of two to eight years.
Anyone spreading “fake news” regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccines will face the same prison time.
If the person works for the government, the penalty will be doubled.
The Rio Times reported:
The PL had its procedures updated in December 2022. At the time, it went through the Legislative Secretariat of the Federal Senate and had its continuity confirmed.
The proposal was discussed again on social networks this month when the Senate website conducted a poll about the bill.
The proposal was rejected by 92% of the people who answered the questions.
In April 2021, the senator requested that his proposal be dealt with as PL 25/2021 by congressman Fernando Rodolfo.
Rodolfo’s proposal criminalizes cutting in line during vaccination with a penalty of two to five years and a fine.
In addition, the deputy frames the detour of medical supplies as a crime, with five to 15 years in prison. The offense is aggravated if committed by a public employee.
Angelo Coronel’s request was granted, and both proposals are being processed together.
In May of last year, four other bills were joined to the proceedings: 13, 15, 505, and 1140, all from 2021.
The first two also want to criminalize queuing up for vaccination.
The last two, on the other hand, criminalize the application of a false dose of vaccine or the simulation of its application.
1140 was proposed by Senator Ciro Nogueira (PP), former Minister of the Civil House.
The Ministry of Health announced that it had scheduled the distribution of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccination for children across Brazil in February, with a total of 700,000 doses.
The campaign to vaccinate persons over the age of 70 with the fifth dose of Pfizer’s Bivalent vaccine against Covid-19 will begin in Rio de Janeiro on February 27.
The leader of the Lula Government in the National Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues, said that forced COVID vaccination in Brazil will begin this February saying, “Denialism no longer has time in the country!”
“[Translation] “Vaccination is ON! Next month Brazil begins the vaccination plan against Covid-19. In the 1st stage, people will be vaccinated with Pfizer’s bivalent vaccine booster. Denialism no longer has time in the country!”