Falsifying COVID-19 Vaccination Records

Federal police say Bolsonaro’s COVID-19 vaccine entries in the Health Ministry database were fraudulently created/altered so he (and relatives) would appear vaccinated - allegedly to allow international travel despite his public anti-vax stance. The police case relied in part on testimony from aide Mauro Cid who said he altered records at Bolsonaro’s request.

Key dates & events

• 3 May 2023 - Federal police raided Bolsonaro’s home in Brasília and seized phones as part of probes including alleged falsification of vaccine records. Bolsonaro denied wrongdoing.


• 18–19 January 2024 - Brazil’s Comptroller-General (Tribunal de Contas/administrative investigators) reported that vaccination records attributed to Bolsonaro were false: the alleged vaccination date/lot and the nurse’s signature did not match available evidence. (Reuters report published 19 Jan 2024).


• 19 March 2024 - Brazil’s federal police formally recommended indictments and accused Bolsonaro (and several aides) of criminal association and falsifying vaccination data - marking the first formal police accusation in that probe. Investigators said false entries were added to the ministry database between Nov 2021 and Dec 2022. (AP / Reuters / Guardian coverage).


• 27 March 2025 - Brazil’s Prosecutor-General refused to press criminal charges in the vaccine-record case, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss the matter on grounds that the police evidence (largely a plea-bargain statement) was insufficient for prosecution. The PG said he would pursue other cases (for example, the coup-plot case) where evidence was stronger. (Reuters / AP).

Important details/evidence cited by investigators

Investigators relied on: cellphone records, travel logs (showing Bolsonaro was not where a vaccination entry claimed), the nurse named in the record denying administering the shot, and plea-bargain testimony by Mauro Cid that he arranged/printed forged certificates. If proven, the alleged conduct would amount to falsification of public records and fraud.