Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday that COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed to fight the pandemic killed and suffocated the country's economy.

"Without salaries and jobs, people die," Bolsonaro was quoted in a report.

He referred to the restriction applied by some states and municipalities.

Bolsonaro said lockdown kills and that some politicians have suffocated the economy with curfews.

Bolsonaro's statement was announced after Brazil forecasted to have around 6.4 percent economic contraction this year due to the pandemic.

He met his supporters in the Alvorada Palace and kept some meters of distance from his supporters during the announcement.

Bolsonaro Positive of COVID-19

Bolsonaro announced that he tested positive of COVID-19 on July 7. He was then tested positive the second time around on July 16.

The president said he was feeling well, despite having the virus. He said it was due to the use of hydroxychloroquine to fight COVID-19 despite no scientific evidence.

Bolsonaro said he is also taking an anti-parasite drug to fight COVID-19.

Meanwhile, demonstrators called for his resignation over Bolsonaro's response to the outbreak.

Protestors, consisting of members from trade unions, indigenous people, and LGBT activists, delivered a petition to Congress calling for his impeachment.

Many have criticized Bolsonaro for downplaying the effects of the pandemic.

Indigenous leader Kretan Kaingang said protestors also wanted to honor warriors who died during the pandemic.

Brazil COVID-19

The number of people who tested positive of COVID-19 in Brazil has reached 2,098,389.

Brazil has become the world's second-largest outbreak, next to the United States in terms of numbers of positive cases and deaths.

Brazil's death toll raced towards 80,000 on Sunday, after recording 716 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Sao Paulo is the epicenter of the nation's outbreak with  19,732 deaths and 415,049 cases of infection.

Next is Rio de Janeiro with 12, 114 deaths and 138,524 cases. 

Ceara ranked third with  7,178 deaths and 146,972 positive cases.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said on Friday that the outbreak in Brazil has reached a "plateau."

"The rise in Brazil is no longer exponential," WHO Executive Director Michael Ryan was quoted in a report.

He added that Brazil should take the chance "to push the disease down to suppress the transmission of the virus, to take control."

Other Latin-American Countries with the Highest COVID-19 Numbers

Mexico has surpassed Chile with the number of positive cases. It has the fourth-largest death-toll globally with 39, 184 deaths, 217,000 recoveries, and around 344,000 confirmed cases.

In Argentina, its government has announced on July 18 that it will gradually loosen lockdown measures that lasted for four months around Buenos Aires.

Argentina has around 127,000 confirmed cases, with 2, 260 deaths, and 54,092 recoveries.

Bolivia has around 59,582 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 18,553 number of recoveries, and 2, 151 deaths.

Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Áñez had tested positive for COVID-19 on July 10.

Three Cabinet ministers in her administration have also tested positive for the virus.

In Venezuela, socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello had also tested positive for the virus.

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