Top Brazilian politicians from across the political spectrum have warned that Jair Bolsonaro is putting thousands of lives at risk with what they called his reckless, paranoid, anti-scientific and belligerent response to the coronavirus.

In a series of scathing interviews – conducted as 26 of Brazil’s 27 state governors convened an emergency meeting to discuss Bolsonaro’s behaviour – regional chiefs told the Guardian they feared the far-right leader was sowing confusion over the need for quarantine and social distancing measures, and wasting precious time setting political bonfires to energize his radical base.

Bolsonaro sparked fury on Tuesday with an extraordinary address to the nation in which he rubbished the quarantine measures and travel restrictions being implemented by many state governors and urged Brazilians to return to work and schools – in contradiction of his own health ministry’s counsel.

The comments stunned state governors – many of whom are now in open revolt against the president.

“I was gobsmacked,” said Ronaldo Caiado, the rightwing governor of Goiás state and a former Bolsonaro ally.

“It’s appalling. You cannot govern a country like this,” added Caiado, who this week severed ties with Bolsonaro. “At a moment like this he should have the humility to leave things to those who understand them.”

Paulo Câmara, governor of the north-eastern state of Pernambuco, said regional chiefs were disappointed that “when every expert, from every country recommends staying at home … [Bolsonaro] goes on national TV and says this is an exaggeration, that distancing isn’t necessary, that the virus isn’t all that deadly, that it’s just ‘a little flu’.

“We’re sorry that right now the central command is more interested in political and electoral questions than the health of the Brazilian people,” added Câmara, whose state has registered 46 cases and three deaths.

Rui Costa, the Workers’ party governor of Bahia, said the country needed mature, professional and calm leadership – not ideology-infused grandstanding. “We cannot treat such a serious question in such a debauched manner,” he said.

An aerial view of a deserted Ipanema beach during the coronavirus outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro this week. Photograph: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

In an open letter to Bolsonaro published after their summit on Wednesday, the rebel governors signalled they would ignore his calls to scale back their lockdowns.

“Coronavirus is an adversary that must be defeated with good sense, empathy, balance and unity,” they wrote.

In a second letter, the governors of Brazil’s nine north-eastern states declared: “Attacks and quarrels will not save the country.”

Flávio Dino, the leftwing governor of the north-eastern state of Maranhão, said he believed Bolsonaro’s downplaying of the pandemic stemmed from a conviction that coronavirus was a political plot not a public health emergency.

“Deep down it’s a kind of denialism. He thinks this is a media invention and a Chinese conspiracy which is part of their battle for hegemony with the US. He must have heard this from Trump,” said Dino, from the Brazilian Communist party.

“That explains his resistance to these [lockdown] measures because deep, deep down he believes coronavirus is a communist invention,” added Dino, who said Bolsonaro’s jumbled response was risking lives.

“He wastes so much time with these illusions, these deliriums, these conspiracies, these fantasies, these scuffles – and when you’re facing a serious crisis this is catastrophic,” Dino said.

Câmara said Bolsonaro’s call to relax containment measures contradicted expert scientific consensus and would be disregarded. “As governors it is our duty to enforce these restrictions and follow the guidance of the World Health Organization … and this is what we will do,” he vowed.

“Brazil isn’t ready for an exponential growth [in cases] so we need to buy time … so we can put together the infrastructure to treat as many infected people as possible.”

Eduardo Leite, governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, which has 162 confirmed cases, said lockdown was crucial so hospitals could prepare for a wave of Covid-19 patients.

“[Bolsonaro] should be the one leading and coordinating this process. But not only is he not doing this, he’s actually sabotaging the plans state governments are putting in place,” added Leite, from the centre-right Brazilian Social Democracy party (PSDB).

Leite said attacks on science and “political radicalism” would not solve the “extreme” crisis.

One of those spearheading the mutiny is São Paulo’s governor, João Doria, a former Bolsonaro ally who many suspect harbours presidential ambitions.

Luiz Henrique Mandetta, the health minister, reacts during a press conference about coronavirus in Brasília. Critics have urged President Bolsonaro to defer to him on dealing with the crisis. Photograph: Andressa Anholete/Getty Images

This week, Doria clashed with Bolsonaro, accusing him of dividing Brazil at a time of national crisis. Brazil’s president hit back, bellowing “Your Excellency is an example to no one,” during a video conference.

In turn, Doria warned that Bolsonaro’s behaviour could cost lives. “Lead your country. Lead your people,” he said.

Coronavirus has set Brazilian politics alight, with Bolsonaro drawing heavy fire for dismissing the pandemic as media “hysteria”. On Thursday health officials said the number of cases had risen to 2,915 with 77 deaths.

Renato Casagrande, the governor of Espírito Santo, which has 40 cases, said Bolsonaro’s address had stunned him.

“I felt afraid. I couldn’t believe the words the president was saying. The health ministry has been guiding our response. The World Health Organization has been guiding our response. We are trying to convince people of the need right now for a greater confinement to stop the virus. And then the president comes out with completely different advice and even accuses other leaders of exterminating jobs and the economy. It was unbelievable.”

Even Carlos Moisés da Silva, the rightwing governor of the heavily pro-Bolsonaro southern state of Santa Catarina, told reporters Bolsonaro’s declarations had “flabbergasted” him.

Bolsonaro rejects such criticism as the work of political rivals jostling to succeed him in 2022. This week he claimed governors and mayors forcing businesses to close were committing “a crime” and risked mass unemployment. “They’re destroying Brazil,” Bolsonaro claimed.

Dino, who has ordered the closure of shops, restaurants and schools, defended drastic measures.

“Paradoxically, they are the fastest and least painful way for you to come out of the crisis because you contain the spread of the virus.”

Caiado urged Bolsonaro to change tack and empower Brazil’s health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday Caiado also suggested that, as he faced up to coronavirus Bolsonaro should look not to his political idol, Donald Trump, but to his predecessor.

“Nobody put it better than Obama. In politics and in life, ignorance is not a virtue,” he said.