BRASILIA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has exercised his veto power to water down parts of a national law that would require the use of face masks on public transportation, in commercial and religious establishments and other enclosed public spaces, the nation's Official Gazette reported on Friday.

The law, approved by Congress on June 9, stipulates fines for those who do not wear masks in public places, but this part was vetoed by Bolsonaro, who argued that it may violate the rights of those meeting in their homes for business or other purposes.

The president also vetoed a paragraph that obligated the government to provide masks to economically vulnerable sectors of the population, as well as a clause requiring companies to provide free masks to employees.

Several local governments have adopted the mandatory use of masks in public places, but no law had previously been enacted at the national level.

On Thursday, Brazil reported 1,496,858 cases of the novel coronavirus in the country, with 61,884 deaths.