The house of Brazil’s ex-president Jair Bolsonaro has been searched by police investigating COVID-19 vaccine playing cards allegedly being falsified.

The playing cards of Mr Bolsonaro, his members of the family and his advisers had been modified, based on native media stories.

In the course of the coronavirus pandemic, the country‘s former far-right president was a vocal coronavirus vaccine sceptic who doubted the efficacy of the jab and refused to get inoculated.

However well being data made public in February this yr advised he was registered as vaccinated.

A federal police official mentioned Mr Bolsonaro, 68, will probably be questioned and confirmed that one in all his closest allies, Mauro Cid, was arrested.

The Federal Police’s press workplace mentioned officers carried out 16 searches and arrested six individuals in Rio de Janeiro. The assertion didn’t title Mr Bolsonaro or Mr Cid.

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Mr Bolsonaro confirmed to journalists {that a} raid befell at his Brasilia residence and reiterated he had by no means obtained a COVID vaccine. He additionally denied any position in allegedly forging paperwork.

“In my view, there was nothing falsified. I did not take the vaccine. Interval,” he mentioned, including his telephone was seized.

Officers mentioned they have been investigating “false information” that was allegedly added to a nationwide COVID-19 database between November 2021 and December 2022, when he was president.

A police assertion mentioned the alleged insertion of pretend information enabled these whose vaccine playing cards have been altered to adjust to the US vaccine requirement to enter the nation.

After dropping to Lula da Silva in October’s presidential election and leaving workplace on the finish of final yr, Mr Bolsonaro lately returned to Brazil following a number of months within the US, the place he principally stored a low profile aside from some talking engagements.

He’s additionally facing several other investigations – together with over his alleged position in encouraging protests that ended along with his supporters storming a number of authorities buildings.

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As president, Mr Bolsonaro insisted the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine was a therapy for COVID, regardless of an absence of sturdy medical proof.

Brazil’s variety of deaths in the course of the pandemic was the second highest on the planet.

A congressional investigation discovered he must be indicted for bungling the nation’s COVID response, together with him pushing unproven therapies.