Brazil's President Bolsonaro says he's ignoring WHO Coronavirus directives because the organisation promotes 'masturbation' for children under the age of four

Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro has revealed why he refused to follow WHO directives on social distancing in the fight against Coronavirus.

In a bizarre Facebook post, which has been removed from his social media platform, Bolsonaro accused the organization of promoting ‘masturbation’ in children under four as he questioned the WHO’s authority on Coronavirus.

The 65-year-old pointed out WHO’s alleged recommendation that children under four derive ‘satisfaction and pleasure upon touching their own body *masturbation*’.

On his official Facebook page, Bolsonaro wrote: ‘This is the World Health Organization (WHO) who many say I must follow in the coronavirus case.

‘Should we also follow their guidelines for educational policies too?: For children from 0 to 4 years of age: Satisfaction and pleasure upon touching their own body, *masturbation*.

‘Expressing their needs and desire, for example, in the context of “playing doctor”. Children have sexual feelings in their early infancy.’

He went on to say that the WHO said of children aged four to six ‘have a positive gender identity. Enjoyment and pleasure upon touching their own body; masturbation in early childhood.’

Bolsonaro was citing a 2010 guide by the Federal Centre for Health Education with the European arm of the WHO.

According to Mail Online, the text Bolsonaro referenced is designed to help parents to educate their children who between two and four are becoming curious about their own bodies and noticing their difference to others.

As they are curious they begin to touch their sexual organs and want to show them to other children or adults, according to the WHO.

The guide didn’t advise parents to encourage their children to masturbate, but to rather speak to them about this phase in their young lives, reassuring them that ‘liking physical contact is common’ and normal.

President Bolsonaro has repeatedly attacked the WHO for its coronavirus directives, saying Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus ‘is not a doctor’, adding: ‘It’s like if the president of Caixa (a Brazilian bank) weren’t from economics’.

According to research from Johns Hopkins University, Brazil has 79,685 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,513 deaths to date.