Brazil pandemic probe to recommend Bolsonaro face 11 criminal charges, senator says

FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro waves to his supporters after a ride on a motorbike in a motorcade rally with his supporters amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Brasilia, Brazil, August 8, 2021. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian Senate probe into the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will recommend in its final report due next week that President Jair Bolsonaro face 11 criminal charges, the senator leading the inquiry said on Friday, though it remains highly unlikely that he will face a trial on any such charges.

Renan Calheiros said during a radio interview that the investigation launched in April has collected evidence to show that Bolsonaro should be formally charged with genocide against the country's indigenous population, malfeasance, irregular use of public funds, violation of sanitary measures, incitement to crime and forgery of private documents, among other crimes.