Police raid home of Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro

Case stems from investigation into falsified Covid vaccination cards

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro leaves his home following a search operation in Brasilia. Reuters

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro denied wrongdoing after federal police searched his Brasilia home on Wednesday morning in a case focused on the alleged alteration of Covid-19 vaccination records.

Police said in a statement that they were investigating allegations that false data had been entered into public health systems and vaccination cards changed.

The statement did not name Mr Bolsonaro, but his records are among those police suspect were altered to meet requirements to enter other countries, including the US, according to a person familiar with the investigation who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak publicly about the case.

Six people, including two close Bolsonaro aides, were arrested as part of the probe, the person said.

Mr Bolsonaro, who said throughout his presidency that he had not been immunised, told reporters that he is not vaccinated and had not altered records to show otherwise.

“I didn’t take the vaccine — it’s my personal decision,” he said from Brasilia. “There is no tampering on my part. I didn’t get the vaccine, period.”