(Brasilia) Twenty-one scientists who have been awarded one of Brazil’s highest accolades refused to be presented with their medals on Saturday after President Jair Bolsonaro removed from the list two of their colleagues whose the work apparently displeases the government.
The far-right president has nominated 25 people to be awarded the National Order of Scientific Merit that Brazil created in 1992 to recognize the authors of the most important contributions to science and technology.
However, two days later, he removed two prominent scientists from this list.
One of them is Marcus Lacerda, who carried out one of the first studies on the ineffectiveness against COVID-19 of chloroquine, however long advocated by Mr. Bolsonaro to fight against the pandemic.
The other is Adele Benzaken, who was fired from the head of the HIV / AIDS department of the Brazilian Ministry of Health when Jair Bolsonaro became president in 2019.
“This is yet another clear demonstration of the persecution of scientists,” the 21 protesters wrote in an open letter, who further denounced “a strategy of systematic attack on science and technology” on the part of the current Brazilian government.
By “this act of protest, which saddens us”, these scientists say they express their “indignation at the destruction of the Brazilian university system and of science and technology in general. ”
Jair Bolsonaro has come under severe criticism from the scientific community for his cuts to the research and technology budget, his constant rejection of scientific results and the spread of false information, especially regarding the COVID-19.
The president, in addition to his call for the use of chloroquine to treat this disease, despite the evidence of its ineffectiveness, also ignored the recommendations of experts concerning the use of protective masks or confinement to contain the pandemic.
In an interview with AFP, Mme Benzaken said she was “extremely honored” by the decision of her colleagues to refuse their medals in the face of what she described as “unattractive” treatment of the government towards her and towards her colleague Marcus Lacerda.
“It was the greatest honor of all,” she added.