Bolsonaro's home raided by Brazilian police in COVID-19 vaccination records probe

The home of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was raided by police on Wednesday and his cellphone was seized as part of a probe into his COVID-19 vaccination records. 

According to documents from the Brazilian Supreme Court, police allegedly found evidence that Bolsonaro modified his coronavirus vaccine records during his final weeks as president last year, as well as those of his family members.

Throughout the pandemic, Bolsonaro had remained a coronavirus skeptic and vowed never to get vaccinated against the virus. However, public health records made public in February registered the former president as vaccinated. 

Bolsonaro told reporters that his Brasilia home had indeed been raided, but claimed that he had never received the coronavirus vaccine and had not falsified any documents. During the raid, his phone was seized by authorities. 

"For my part, there was nothing falsified. I didn't take the vaccine. Period," he said.

Federal police claim Bolsonaro’s close aides also formed part of the alleged scheme to insert “false data” into the national COVID-19 database.

As a result, authorities also announced they were presenting 16 additional search warrants and six preventative arrests as part of the investigation in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. The other individuals being investigated were not named by authorities. 

"As a result, they were able to issue vaccine certificates and use them to circumvent restrictions imposed by public authorities in Brazil and the United States," police said.

A police official who spoke anonymously said Bolsonaro would be questioned in the coming days at the Federal Police headquarters over the allegations. 

Bolsonaro visited the U.S. at least three times after the country began requiring COVID-19 vaccines for non-citizens to enter in November 2021. However, Bolsonaro said in a previous interview with Jovem Pan television, that his vaccination records were not required for any of those trips. 

“The way heads of state are treated is different than for the common citizen. Everything is arranged ahead of time, and in my travels to the United States, I was not at any time required to have a vaccination card,” Bolsonaro said at the time. 

The falsification allegations come as the former leader is increasingly put under pressure through several investigations, including alleged voter suppression and embezzlement.

Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing.