Brazil Senate opens pandemic probe, adding to pressure on Bolsonaro

Brazilian Senator Renan Calheiros speaks during a news conference before a meeting of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee (CPI) to investigate government actions and management during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, at the Federal Senate in Brasilia, Brazil April 27, 2021. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Senate inquiry into the Brazilian government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic kicked off on Tuesday, with lawmakers launching what may be a major headache for President Jair Bolsonaro ahead of next year's election.

Nearly 400,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil, the second-highest death toll in the world after the United States. Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, has drawn harsh criticism due to his long-running efforts to minimize the dangers of the virus, shun masks and push unproven remedies.