Brazilian Parliament to Contact Facebook, YouTube Over Bolsonaro's COVID-19 Statements

BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - A parliamentary commission investigating allegations of violations committed by Brasilia during the pandemic will launch an inquiry with Facebook and YouTube concerning broadcasts of controversial statements made by the nation's president, Jair Bolsonaro, about COVID-19, the G1 news portal reported on Friday.

On June 17, Bolsonaro stated that becoming infected with the coronavirus is more effective than vaccines.

"We will call on Facebook and YouTube to come and answer to the commission about the responsibility for the spread of this type of statements," Randolfe Rodrigues, vice-president of the commission, was cited as saying by G1.

Companies, in his opinion, should explain why they blocked the former US president, Donald Trump, but do not adhere to the same rules in regard to Brazil's Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro has been repeatedly accused of downplaying the pandemic, and has defied coronavirus restrictions. Even though the Brazilian leader contracted the virus last summer, he has repeatedly voiced skepticism over COVID-19 vaccines and only recently modified his stance, as Brazil is among the world leaders in cumulative infections, with over 17 million registered cases.