3.20.2024

Brazil's Bolsonaro Indicted

Brazilian federal police have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro over allegations he falsified his COVID-19 vaccination data in the country's public health database in December 2022 to falsely indicate that he, his daughter, and close associates had received the vaccine. He also faces charges of criminal association for allegedly conspiring with his aides to enter the false data.

The news follows a yearlong investigation into whether the then-president, who was openly skeptical of the vaccines, forged his vaccine card to bypass international entry requirements. This marks the first indictment for the former president, who faces several investigations, including corruption related to vaccine purchases from Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech in 2021 and an alleged coup attempt in 2022.

Brazil’s prosecutor-general will now decide whether to file charges, which would then be judged by the Supreme Court. Analysts suggest he could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of falsifying health data, with up to four years for the criminal association charge. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing.

Hong Kong Security Law

Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously passed a national security law yesterday strengthening punishments for offenses tied to dissent and espionage. The law, effective Saturday, will expand the city’s ability to crack down on activists and journalists, many jailed following the 2019 antigovernment protests.

Article 23, named after a section of Hong Kong's 1997 mini constitution that mandated such a law, was fast-tracked by the city's pro-Beijing legislature. It expands upon a China-imposed national security law from 2020, punishing treason and insurrection with life in prison. It also penalizes the theft of state secrets and “external interference,” a term critics say is so broad it endangers over 6,000 foreign businesses with offices in Hong Kong. The law also allows the city’s chief executive to bypass the legislature to establish related offenses punishable by a maximum of seven years in prison.

Hong Kong lawmakers attempted to pass similar legislation in 2003 but scrapped the bill following mass protests (see timeline). The city—whose leaders are seen as increasingly aligned with China—is scheduled to become more closely integrated with the mainland in 2047 following the UK's 1997 handover (see history).

Unilever Splits from Ice Cream

British consumer products giant Unilever will spin off its ice cream division by the end of 2025 as part of a broader restructuring, which will see 7,500 jobs cut for a savings of $870M over three years. The company owns some of the highest-profile ice cream brands in the world, including Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, and Magnum. Shares in the company closed up 3% on the news.

Unilever, the world's largest soap producer, owns a stable of consumer product brands, including Dove, Hellmann's, Vaseline, and Axe (see list). Its capital-intensive, $8B ice cream unit—which depends on highly energy-dependent refrigerated supply chains—has underperformed in recent years, receiving half the profits of its personal care offerings amid declining sales. Recently hired CEO Hein Schumacher announced plans last year to focus on 30 of the company's brands to simplify and accelerate growth.

The move concludes an occasionally tumultuous 24-year relationship with pun-loving Ben & Jerry's, a brand known for its outspoken political views. 

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