After Viagra disclosure
Brazilian army orders penile prostheses
04/13/2022, 10:00 a.m
In Brazil, the population often lacks medicines. A large order of “little blue pills” and penis prostheses by the army is therefore met with sharp criticism. Right-wing President Bolsonaro is said to have approved the expensive purchase.
The Brazilian army is said to have ordered dozens of penis implants in addition to thousands of doses of sexual enhancers. Congressman Elias Vaz said the Department of Defense “approved the purchase of 60 penile prostheses.” Vaz spoke of costs totaling more than 645,000 euros and demanded an explanation from the government of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.
“Our question is: why is the Bolsonaro government spending public money on these prostheses?” the MP said in a statement. While the Brazilian population has problems accessing medication, a small “group is being treated with expensive prostheses”.
“Our hospitals don’t have enough medicine”
The deputy had previously made public an order for 35,000 pills against erectile dysfunction for the Brazilian armed forces. Vaz said it obtained its information from the Brazilian government’s transparency portal, which provides access to public spending data on request. “Our hospitals don’t have enough medicine, and Bolsonaro and his people are using public money to buy the little blue pill,” the opposition MP said on Monday, referring to the well-known sexual enhancer Viagra.
According to Vaz, however, Viagra is not mentioned by name in the government documents. Instead, there is talk of buying thousands of tablets with “Sildenafil”, the active ingredient contained in Viagra. The left MP announced that he would hand over the case to the public prosecutor.
Pills are actually for pulmonary hypertension
The Department of Defense said the pills were actually intended “to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension” – also known as pulmonary hypertension. Sildenafil also causes narrowed pulmonary arteries to widen.
The official statement could not prevent the ridicule of Internet users. Caricatures quickly circulated on Twitter showing tanks with guns hanging down. “Some say these pills are designed to help the armed forces f*** democracy even more,” wrote the satirical site Sensacionalista.