A STAND-UP political stoush is brewing in Brazil over erectile dysfunction medication, with opponents of President Jair Bolsonaro asking why the country's military is buying tens of thousands of Viagra tablets.
The "seemingly unorthodox acquisitions" were highlighted in local media earlier this week, with opposition spokesman Elias Vaz saying "we must understand why the Bolsonaro administration is spending public money on buying such large quantities of Viagra".
Officials within the Brazilian Navy and Air Force confirmed the purchase of more than 30,000 pills, but said the drug was being used to treat pulmonary hypertension - in contrast to an O Globo newspaper report that Bolsonaro was attempting to harden up the country's defence forces.
The issue was described by Rio representative Marcelo Freixo as an "erectile outrage".
"The Bolsonaro administration dallied over buying COVID vaccines but approved the overpriced purchase of 35,000 Viagra pills for the armed forces," he said on social media.
Other parties described the drug acquisition as a "criminal spending spree," while rival Presidential candidate Ciro Gomes said "unless they're able to prove they're developing some kind of secret weapon - capable of revolutionising the international arms industry - it'll be tough to justify the purchase of 35,000 units of an erectile dysfunction drug".
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