Brazil's far-Right president Jair Bolsonaro is being criticised for ignoring coronavirus protocol and encouraging - and even attending - a series of street protests around the country in defence of his own government.

Mr Bolsonaro disobeyed his doctors and left self-isolation to greet protesters in the capital city of Brasilia, shaking hands with the public and using their mobile phones to take pictures.

Thousands of Brazilians took to the streets yesterday in dozens of cities across the country, in marches organized by hard-Right groups that demand the closure of Brazil's Congress and Supreme Court.

Speaking on Thursday evening, Mr Bolsonaro warned against the health risks of street protests and suggested they be delayed.

On Sunday, however, the president began sharing videos of demonstrations on his official Twitter account, before leaving self-isolation and joining the protesters in Brasilia.

While interacting with hundreds of his supporters, he beamed that the protest was "priceless".

Beyond his core group of followers, Mr Bolsonaro was widely criticised for his behaviour on Sunday. Rodrigo Maia, the speaker of Brazil's House of Representatives, called the president's actions "an attack on public health".

"The president should be coordinating the crisis to provide answers and solutions for the country," said Mr Maia. "But, apparently, he is more concerned about attending protests that attack the institutions and the health of the population."

The left-wing Socialism and Freedom Party announced that it will be filing a complaint to the World Health Organization against Mr Bolsonaro.

"He has put the health of all Brazilians—and the global population as a whole—at risk," the party said.