“Scorched Earth: the portrait of health in Brazil after the Bolsonaro’s
administration and the first 100 days of the Lula Government in health”
Abstract
This article is a rejoinder to the rebuttal letter authored by Jair
Bolsonaro’s former Minister of Health and Secretary of Primary Care to
our initial article, “From Bolsonaro to Lula: The opportunity to
rebuild universal healthcare in Brazil during the government
transition,” published in the International Journal of Health Planning
and Management. We aim to refute the claims that we consider
unsubstantiated and disconnected from reality, while reiterating the
risks posed by authoritarian and antidemocratic far-right governments,
such as Bolsonarism in Brazil, to the sustainability and resilience of
universal health systems. This political threat is gaining momentum
across several countries worldwide, thereby endangering the Democratic
Rule of Law, institutions, and social policies. Furthermore, we
emphasize the significant actions implemented during the first 100 days
of President Lula’s government, which align with the priorities
established during the governmental transition process and strengthen
the prospects of reconstructing and fortifying the Brazilian universal
health system.