Paraguay health minister the latest in Latin America to step down over pandemic handling

Paraguay's minister of public health, Julio Mazzoleni, resigned on Friday after lawmakers the previous day urged him to step down as a record-breaking surge in coronavirus cases left medication in short supply and the country's hospitals near collapse. Mazzoleni is the latest of several top health officials forced from their jobs in recent weeks amid increasing anger across Latin America over the handling of the pandemic and slow rollout of vaccinations.

Paraguay's minister of public health, Julio Mazzoleni, resigned on Friday after lawmakers the previous day urged him to step down as a record-breaking surge in coronavirus cases left medication in short supply and the country's hospitals near collapse.

Mazzoleni is the latest of several top health officials forced from their jobs in recent weeks amid increasing anger across Latin America over the handling of the pandemic and slow rollout of vaccinations. The embattled minister initially rebuked the Senate's non-binding declaration asking him to leave, but hours later conceded following a meeting with President Mario Abdo.

"We have agreed together that I leave ... in order to generate that peace that we need to face this challenge," Mazzoleni said. Abdo later appointed Dr. Julio Borba, a vice-minister, to take Mazzoleni's place. Borba told reporters he would begin tracking down medicine and supplies immediately.

Despite those promises, protesters took to the streets again late on Friday in the capital Asuncion as anger over shortfalls continued to simmer. Paraguay is posting record numbers of cases daily, according to a Reuters tally, with 115 infections per 100,000 people reported in the last 7 days.

The country has vaccinated less than 0.1% of its population, the data shows.

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