A top Brazilian political aide tested positive for coronavirus days after he met with Donald Trump, according to Brazilian news outlets. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, accompanied his boss at a dinner with Trump at Mar-A-Lago on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo reported that Wajngarten was diagnosed with coronavirus after he was tested, which was later confirmed by the Bolsonaro’s office, Planalto Palace.
Wajngarten was seen in a photo taken with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, who Trump tapped to lead his coronavirus response force. The Brazilian press secretary later attended a birthday party for Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News host who is now the chair of Trump’s campaign’s finance committee.
Trump and some of his family members reportedly attended the party. Wajngarten is reportedly still waiting for the results of a second test.
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Bolsonaro and Wajngarten planned to discuss trade, Venezuela and the Middle East among other issues during their meeting. The two presidents were seen shaking hands and posed next to each other in a photo on Wajgarten’s Instagram in which they presented hats that read: ‘Make Brazil great again.’
On Thursday, Trump told reporters that he was not concerned about Wajngarten’s positive diagnosis. The coronavirus has infected nearly 130,000 worldwide and killed more than 4,700. However, the virus has been relatively contained in Brazil, which has only reported 52 confirmed cases compared to the over 1,300 cases and 38 deaths in the US.
Wajngarten has not confirmed nor denied the positive test, but he tweeted: ‘Despite what the rotten media have already said about my religion, my family and my company, now they are talking about my health. But I am well.’
Metro UK
