The chess game at the end of the Mandetta saga.

1 – A visibly embarrassed president finally fired a minister who leaves strong, euphoric, smiling, happy. Mandetta, an unremarkable former congressman from the lower ranks, reached a level of stardom he never imagined. And he even checkmated the Captain. 

2 – Mandetta had a field day, dictated the pace, and defined the moment of his departure. The spiral of the disease began. Some states are already entering a state of despair with 100% of their ICU beds occupied. The now former minister leaves as a hero, competent, and before the catastrophe that seems imminent. 

3 – Jair managed the feat of transforming an unremarkable politician from the DEM party, who voted for Dilma's impeachment and was linked to health insurance plans, into the biggest defender of the SUS (Brazilian public healthcare system), almost a new Oswaldo Cruz. Quite a feat.

4 – With Mandetta in the ministry, the Captain had someone to share the blame for the deaths with. Now he has taken it all upon himself, entirely. There is no longer room to point out anyone's management failures. The Marshal has decided to command the front line. The battle is increasingly taking on the contours of life or death.

5 - From a pragmatic point of view, there was no other way out for the president. Mandetta was bleeding him dry daily. There were only two possibilities: Bolsonaro could change his position or fire the minister. He decided to accept the loss, unify the government, and maintain his extremely risky political gamble.

6 – More than half of parliamentary amendments are allocated to the Ministry of Health. It is the ministry most visited by deputies and mayors. The new minister doesn't know where the National Congress is located. He has never been a public administrator. Nothing. He doesn't know the system or how it works. He's taking over a jumbo jet in the middle of a war. Will it work?

7 – What makes an oncologist and businessman take on a controversial role, with more than half the stadium cursing the team that gave him his jersey, and under a historic storm? Vanity? Public commitment? Ideological affinity? What interests motivated the nomination and the "yes"?

8 – Everything indicates that Bolsonaro has decided to dismantle the Ministry of Health. He won't risk promoting another star who might rebel later on. He chose a corporal for the mission. From now on, General Braga Neto will play an increasingly prominent role, under the tight control of the Captain.

9 – It's too early to predict Mandetta's fate. He's become a nationally known name, halfway there. But politics requires an army and material strength. Starting tomorrow, he'll be out of the spotlight. Where will he go? He rode the wave very well, but it's too early to say he's entered the championship race. The most likely outcome is that he'll establish himself as a name in his state.

10 – It was basically a clash between the right and the far-right. Mandetta is from the DEM party. Bolsonaro attacked Doria, from the PSDB party, in his speech. The governor of São Paulo is the newest defender of “life above all else.” The DEM has become the father of the SUS (Brazilian public healthcare system). Divided and without a clear direction, the left is watching its banners, one by one, being hijacked by the right. “Madness, madness, madness.”