Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

Newsflash/@bolsonaro.enb

This is the moment Brazil’s president hugs workers at a bakery and poses for photos with them whilst not wearing a face mask in the middle of the country’s coronavirus crisis.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, 65, who has repeatedly come out against isolation in the face of COVID-19 which he described as a “little flu”, was filmed visiting the bakery in the Asa Norte area of the Brazilian capital Brasilia.

In the video, Bolsonaro can be seen standing at the entrance to the bakery without a face mask and he puts his arms around supporters as he stops for photos with them.

He then orders in the bakery, ignoring social distancing as he stands close to members of his team and poses with more workers.

He can then be seen stopping for more selfies with a small crowd of supporters gathered around him before getting into his car. The scenes were reportedly recorded yesterday (9th April).

Bakeries in Brasilia have been allowed to stay open in the pandemic due to a decree from the Governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly spoken out against social isolation as a way to fight the pandemic, calling lockdowns a “crime”, but local governments throughout Brazil have forced citizens to stay indoors with decrees.

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Brazil has registered 18,176 cases of COVID-19, with 957 deaths and 173 recovered.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.