Bolsonaro fined as he flouts mask rule before motorcyclists

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has led a throng of motorcyclist supporters through the streets of Sao Paulo — and got hit with a fine for failure to wear a mask, in violation of local pandemic restrictions

SAO PAULO -- Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro led a throng of motorcyclist supporters through the streets of Sao Paulo on Saturday — and got hit with a fine for failure to wear a mask, in violation of local pandemic restrictions. The conservative president waved to the crowd from his motorcycle and later from atop a sound truck, where helmeted but largely maskless backers cheered and chanted as he insisted that masks were useless for those already vaccinated — an assertion disputed by most public health experts. Sao Paulo's state government press office said a fine — equivalent to about $110 — would be imposed for violation of a rule that has required masks in public places since May 2020. Bolsonaro's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.