Thousands of protesters across Brazil called for President Jair Bolsonaro's removal Saturday, one day after a judge authorized opening an investigation into him over an alleged COVID-19 vaccine procurement scheme, per the Guardian.
Why it matters: The pandemic has killed almost 524,000 people in Brazil amid a slow vaccine rollout. This investigation, along with a Senate probe, may hurt Bolsonaro's re-election chances next year and could hamper his "ability to serve out the remainder of his term," the New York Times notes.
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fx1Wxvx6lYhuSQNVSMbw_uw6JBQA%3D%2F2021%2F07%2F04%2F1625359853672.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=904&h=7efa17280eb07f3acd091032c69a28427495259bac4b3733dbb2abcac16085c0&size=980x&c=2630951953 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fx1Wxvx6lYhuSQNVSMbw_uw6JBQA%253D%252F2021%252F07%252F04%252F1625359853672.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D904%26h%3D7efa17280eb07f3acd091032c69a28427495259bac4b3733dbb2abcac16085c0%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2630951953%22%7D" expand=1]
An anti-Bolsonaro protest in Brasilia on July 3. "The president has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding a 1.6 billion reais ($316 million) contract signed in February for 20 million doses with a Brazilian intermediary for the vaccine's maker, Bharat Biotech," Reuters reports. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FC8OJ0tzlITPCn3YYdT3Pc3Kdwu8%3D%2F2021%2F07%2F04%2F1625359392718.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=39&h=c15c1de8b8ba2ba70abc9ea662a653248faf8df188d357c9344648b9b9a79c7c&size=980x&c=2152683467 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FC8OJ0tzlITPCn3YYdT3Pc3Kdwu8%253D%252F2021%252F07%252F04%252F1625359392718.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D39%26h%3Dc15c1de8b8ba2ba70abc9ea662a653248faf8df188d357c9344648b9b9a79c7c%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2152683467%22%7D" expand=1] A woman holds a sign depicting Bolsonaro on a dollar bill during a protest in downtown Rio de Janeiro on July 3. Photo: Andre Borges/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FJ0a7gDvaqfJjEHSrVBBQaoYnAJw%3D%2F2021%2F07%2F04%2F1625359556687.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=33&h=e0cad18098bda0aa9959c250413fe05a8556abd581a13a564ddf789e987144ed&size=980x&c=869365582 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FJ0a7gDvaqfJjEHSrVBBQaoYnAJw%253D%252F2021%252F07%252F04%252F1625359556687.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D33%26h%3De0cad18098bda0aa9959c250413fe05a8556abd581a13a564ddf789e987144ed%26size%3D980x%26c%3D869365582%22%7D" expand=1] People at the anti-Bolsonaro demonstration in Brasilia on July 3. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FjZ_uSXXiqjCElSpFhwJmvXC_hWs%3D%2F2021%2F07%2F04%2F1625359685334.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=461&h=26e2777f63f421964effa1b4b2bae6c3a84a3316471760e2fe06f193157de1cf&size=980x&c=3230509900 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FjZ_uSXXiqjCElSpFhwJmvXC_hWs%253D%252F2021%252F07%252F04%252F1625359685334.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D461%26h%3D26e2777f63f421964effa1b4b2bae6c3a84a3316471760e2fe06f193157de1cf%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3230509900%22%7D" expand=1] A man dressed as the Brazilian vaccine symbol takes part in a demonstration against Bolsonaro in Sao Paulo, on July 3. Photo: Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fsu8xSxoRPXmbLHlln5ozIKBwLFA%3D%2F2021%2F07%2F04%2F1625359162468.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com&s=951&h=4a6180b110fddbdacbbb2093315505df3aa13798b363953badb1dd1346ed0270&size=980x&c=715902740 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fsu8xSxoRPXmbLHlln5ozIKBwLFA%253D%252F2021%252F07%252F04%252F1625359162468.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.axios.com%26s%3D951%26h%3D4a6180b110fddbdacbbb2093315505df3aa13798b363953badb1dd1346ed0270%26size%3D980x%26c%3D715902740%22%7D" expand=1] The scene at the anti-Bolsonaro protest in downtown Rio de Janeiro on July 3. Photo: Andre Borges/AFP via Getty Images
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