Brazil's President Bolsonaro thanks India, invokes Ramayana and Jesus Christ in letter to PM Modi

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in an address to his nation on Thursday, thanked India for easing the restrictions on export of raw material to Brazil for the production of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug which has shown some efficacy in treating the Chinese-origin COVID-19 disease.

"As an outcome of my direct conversation with Prime Minister of India, we will receive, by Saturday, raw materials to continue our production of hydroxychloroquine so that we can treat patients of COVID-19 as well as of Lupus, Malaria, and Arthritis. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for such timely help to the people of Brazil," Bolsonaro said.

Earlier, in a letter to PM Modi, President Bolsonaro had invoked narrative-motifs from the Ramayana and the Bible to underscore the shared commitment of the two nations in fighting the ongoing global pandemic.

"Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Laksmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people," the Brazilian leader said in his letter which had arrived on the eve of Hanuman Jayanti.