TWO PİPER'S FATE

Brazil's hard-right president, Jair Bosnaro dismissed Coronavirus as a "little flue" that had to be faced like a" man, not a boy". He ridiculed that self-isolation was for the "weak" and raged against the lockdown measures in Brazil. He even went as far as coming to throats with state governors and his own minister could not bit around the bush by savaging how Bosnaro was handling the pandemic.

Today Brazil has recorded an estimate of about 5.11 million corona cases and 151k deaths. Surely, Bosnaro is more popular today, not only amongst the lower communities in Brazil but well known for mishandling the coronavirus, with his whimsical actions.

Like his idol Donald Trump, Bosnaro caught the coronavirus more than once and emerged apparently unscratched. And the men himself can not stop downplaying the coronavirus. In many speeches; he has accused the media of 'fear-mongering' as a way of downplaying the threat of Covid-19 to the country. In one speech he was quoted saying; 'Our lives have to go on. Jobs must be kept... We must, yes, get back to normal''['Coronavirus: Bosnaro downplays threat of pandemic to Brazil' BBC, 25/03/20]; and this caused outrage in people and many ended up rallying in streets protesting.

On the other hand, while the US president trails behind Joe Biden in the polls, he keeps on mocking Biden for observing the social distance regulations as well the wearing the mask, yet actions done by Biden are what doctors and scientist recommend to everyone. İn the past week, we've seen how Trump has kept on testing those limits set by the scientists. But unfortunately, like what they say in the Shona language, "kurumwa ne chekuchera"(bitten by what you dugout), he ended up contracting the virus himself and many other top officials. Since day one there had been no sobriety or humility; neither was there respect for a nation that continued to suffer thousands of deaths under a leader who lacked vision, mocked and berated those who wore masks.

Donald Trump's presidency has also made him even more popular. No matter how dishonest, immoral or incompetent his action has been, many people have been studying his policies and his actions in indifference.  His attitude towards the virus has alarmed infectious disease experts. And it suggested that his own illness had not caused him to rethink his often-cavalier attitude towards the disease; which has also infected his wife and more other White House aides and associates. But there was something almost biblical about the Rose of Garden event-the Pharoah who believed he was a Rose god flaunted his impunity and was punished by pestilence. ("The lesson in Trump catching Covid: all the lies in the world can't hold reality at bay"; The Guardian.com;4/10/20).

Trump returned to the White House on Monday evening after being treated for Covid-19 for three days at Walter Reed Medical Center-and immediately took off his mask to pose for pictures before walking inside. And the highly choreographed moment came on the Truman Balcony, just hours after he tweeted: ''Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life.''

There is no turning back when people swore in a president anyway. They have to believe the "bright future" is soon to come, as their leader leads them the way. These two presidents are like the "pompous piped pipers" leading the way, chirping the tune of a dawning new day. In those ego stuffed shirts of suits, they are on top of the hill, showing their people the view. And most people as if caught up with a spell, they follow like lamps drinking in their poisonous well.

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