Brazilian president and members of his cabinet eating on the sidewalk
… president embarrassed at NYC pizza parlor
When in America, you must abide by America’s rules. When in New York City, you must abide by NYC rules.
Just ask far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who came to the US and told them that he was not vaccinated but would not follow U.S. guidelines. Unfortunately, when he went out to eat in the city, he discovered that they were not going to allow him to eat within the confines of their establishments.
The reality was captured in a photo where the president and members of his cabinet were photographed eating pizza outside of the restaurant — after being refused entranced to their pizza parlor.
His refusal
Here is what happened,
Unvaccinated heads of state attending the United Nation General Assembly this week may have to settle for a piece of pizza on a sidewalk instead of fine dining at New York's restaurants.
That is how Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro dined on his first night in New York, where no one is allowed into the city's restaurants without proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
The far-right populist is a vaccine skeptic who has bragged about not being vaccinated, saying before he left for New York that his immune system is strong enough to fend off the coronavirus.
Two Cabinet ministers on his delegation posted a photo of Bolsonaro and aides munching on slices of pizza on a New York sidewalk on Sunday night.
“COVID-19 vaccine skeptic Bolsonaro gets a pass at U.N. but not
New York restaurants,” Reuters, September 20, 2021
Warning from mayor
New York was emphatic that the UN members must be vaccinated, but the world organization was using an honor system,
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio appealed to world leaders, "including most notably Bolsonaro from Brazil," to get vaccinated before attending the U.N. gathering in the city.
"If you don't want to be vaccinated, don't bother coming," de Blasio said at a news conference.
Last week, General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid notified the 193-member states that the U.N.'s COVID-19 vaccination honor system will remain in place for presidents, prime ministers and diplomats. They are not required to show proof of immunization.
Some leaders are staying away and sending a video statement instead because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brazil's mission to the United Nations declined to comment on reports a Brazilian diplomat had tested positive in New York.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: "We are aware of the reports and are in contact with the Brazilian mission."
“COVID-19 vaccine skeptic Bolsonaro gets a pass at U.N. but not
New York restaurants,” Reuters, September 20, 2021
Covid has killed almost 600,000 in Brazil
The Brazilian president is very unpopular right now, and he knows it. However, he thought that his belligerence would help him with his based,
The embattled Brazilian leader, who has seen his poll numbers collapse due to his handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, has not been vaccinated against the deadly virus that so far has killed nearly 600,000 Brazilians.
Despite this, Bolsonaro apparently believes that defying New York's pandemic restrictions will help him with his base of voters, as tourism minister Gilson Machado proudly put a photo of a defiant Bolsonaro eating pizza outdoors on his social media accounts.
Additionally, reports Correio Braziliense, Bolsonaro apparently had to sneak into his hotel because it was surrounded by protesters who carried signs denouncing his presidency.
Brad Reed, “New York pizzeria forces Trump-loving Brazilian president to eat outside after he refused to show proof of vaccination,” Raw Story, September 20, 2021
Bolsonaro and Donald Trump were close allies, and they both have the same types of followers.
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