Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the Senate to open an investigation into the government's actions in relation to the coronavirus crisis. The court also ruled that churches may be prohibited from opening during a pandemic, which threatens to further exacerbate tensions between President Jair Bolsonaro and the judiciary, AP reported.

The judge's order to investigate in the Senate came just minutes after the court upheld the right of local authorities to prevent the opening of churches and other houses of worship.

Bolsonaro downplays the threat of the coronavirus, arguing that the economic and emotional impact of the quarantine will hurt Brazilians more than the pandemic. He has criticized the actions of other branches of government and the Supreme Court for supporting the authority of governors and mayors to set restrictions on economic and personal activities during a pandemic. Last year he attended protests against the trial.

The president has spoken out against local bans and other restrictions that health experts say were badly needed to stop the spread of the virus.

Brazil has become the epicenter of the pandemic crisis in recent weeks, accounting for more than a quarter of all COVID-19 deaths worldwide.