Andrea Bocelli criticizes Italian government for quarantine and says he doesn't believe in coronavirus
Unanimous in Italy, the tenor Andrea Bocelli became the target of criticism because of his denialist statements regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
During a debate about the health crisis organized by far-right parliamentarians in Rome, the singer referred to the emergency as "the so-called pandemic."
“I tried to identify with those who had to make difficult decisions. Afterwards, I tried to analyze reality and saw that things were not as they told us. […] As time passed, thank God I didn't know anyone who had gone to the ICU, so why this severity?”, he asked.
The reaction was not long in coming.
“I would like to invite Bocelli, whom I have always appreciated as an artist, to come to Bergamo and Brescia whenever he wants. I'm sure he will change his mind about many things,” said Luca Fusco, president of a committee of families of pandemic victims, referring to two of the hardest-hit provinces.
Fusco has already filed dozens of complaints about negligence on the part of the authorities in the health crisis.
With the negative repercussion of his statements, Bocelli said that he was “misinterpreted” and that he is not a “denier”, but rather an “optimist”. The tenor contracted the new coronavirus in March and even donated plasma for research into treatments for Covid-19.
It is speculated that Bocelli performed at the Easter concert when he was still recovering from the illness.
In Italy, more than 246 people were infected by the new coronavirus and more than 35 were killed.
Negotiation
The debate in which Bocelli participated was organized by senator Armando Siri, from the far-right League party, and conservative deputy Vittorio Sgarbi, who does not belong to any party.
Despite Italy being the epicenter of the coronavirus and leaving more than 35 dead, the debate was marked by the denialist tone of those involved.
Sgarbi even cited an alleged report from the German government that says the coronavirus is a “global false alarm”.
The document only reflects the opinion of a single Interior Ministry official and is not official.
The deputy also stated that it is “not true” to say that Brazil is experiencing an emergency – the country had its worst week since the beginning of the pandemic between July 19 and 25, with 319,4 thousand cases and 7,7 thousand deaths in seven days.
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