Brazil Senate pushes forward with probe of Bolsonaro's COVID-19 response

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends a promotion ceremony for generals of the armed forces, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil April 8, 2021. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Senate on Tuesday launched a probe into President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The congressional investigation, known by its Portuguese acronym as a CPI, can result in a number of actions, including the referral of possible wrongdoing to law enforcement. In practice, the inquiry is a political headache for Bolsonaro, who is already facing record disapproval amid Brazil's worst coronavirus wave.