Brazil rejects aid package to help fight fires in the Amazon
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
The Brazilian government has refused the G7’s offer of €18 million to be put towards ending the forest fires in the Amazon rainforest.
The G7, an international intergovernmental economic organisation consisting of the seven largest IMF-described advanced economies in the world, announced that it would provide €18 million in emergency assistance to help fight fires in the Amazon rainforest on Monday.
“We appreciate the offer, but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe”, said Onyx Lorenzoni, the Brazilian presidents’ chief of staff, to the Brazilian G1 news website.
“Macron cannot even avoid a foreseeable fire in a church that is a world heritage site. What does he intend to teach our country?” added Lorenzoni.
Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, is scheduled to meet with governors of Amazon states to discuss the burning of the rainforest on Tuesday morning, reports G1 news.
This refusal of emergency aid comes as tensions between Bolsonaro and French President, Emmanuel Macron, increase. Last week, Bolsonaro tweeted that Macron’s intention to set up a financial emergency plan for the Amazon evoked a “colonialist mindset”.
– O Governo brasileiro segue aberto ao diálogo, com base em dados objetivos e no respeito mútuo. A sugestão do presidente francês, de que assuntos amazônicos sejam discutidos no G7 sem a participação dos países da região, evoca mentalidade colonialista descabida no século XXI.
— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) August 22, 2019
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times