COVID-19: International parameters, federalism and the international operations of states and municipalities

Abstract

Taking as context the impacts of the new coronavirus pandemic and the relevance given to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, this article sought to address - from the perspective of Public International Law and International Relations - the health policies suggested by the international parameters for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on international documents, articles and media information, the adoption of these policies by the Brazilian federal government and its sub-national entities was analyzed, considering, finally, the paradiplomatic actions and their consequences for the Brazilian federalist system. Based on the review of the relevant literature, we sought to present what are the international parameters that concern health; what are the aspects of the Brazilian federalist system with regard to health; and, based on this study, what is the effect of federalism in the fight against COVID-19 and how it can contribute to an increasing role of states and municipalities in international relations. Finally, the definition of paradiplomacy was examined in order to understand the power of the Union entities on the international stage. It was concluded that the international treaties and organizations have a fundamental role in the effectiveness of the right to health, serving as a basis for the judiciary to allow states and municipalities to take more restrictive measures in the fight against COVID-19. It was also noticed that the lack of leadership of the federal government and the autonomy held by the federative entities allowed them to develop a greater role in international relations in the context of the pandemic.