It's a big no. Brazil on Monday (August 26th) rejected aid from G7 countries to fight fires in the Amazon, said President Jair Bolsonaro's chief of staff, who advised French President Emmanuel Macron to his house and his colonies ".
"We thank (the G7 for its offer of help, Ed), but these means may be more relevant for the reforestation of Europe," said the chief of staff, Onyx Lorenzoni, on a blog portal G1, a statement confirmed to AFP by the Brazilian presidency.
Emmanuel Macron announced during the day a $ 20 million G7 aid to the Amazon countries. It was intended to serve in particular to send air bombers and was to be allocated "immediately", according to the French president.
Change of tone
"Macron can not even avoid a predictable fire in a church that is part of the world's heritage, and he wants to give us lessons for our country?", Also launched Onyx Lorenzoni in an allusion to the fire that touched Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. "He has a lot to do at home and in the French colonies," he added, referring to the overseas departments and territories of France, which includes Guyana, bordering Brazil and which includes a small part of the Amazon rainforest.
"Brazil is a democratic, free nation and has never had colonialist and imperialist behavior, as it is perhaps the goal of Frenchman Macron, and with a high internal rejection rate," he said. Onyx Lorenzoni.
Before these declarations, the Minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles, had nevertheless considered that the aid proposed by the G7 was "welcome". But Jair Bolsonaro then met with some ministers and his chief of staff changed his tone.
"No one needs a new initiative on the Amazon," said Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, arguing that there are already mechanisms under the auspices of the UN Climate Convention. UN "to finance the fight against deforestation, and to reforest".
The situation "was a little exaggerated"
Jair Bolsonaro himself defended Emmanuel Macron's proposal on Monday, tweeting: "We can not accept that a president, Macron, launch loose and gratuitous attacks on the Amazon, or disguise his intentions behind the idea of an 'alliance' of G7 countries to 'save' the Amazon, as if it were a colony. "
The Brazilian Defense Minister said earlier Monday that the fires were "under control". The situation "has been a little exaggerated," Fernando Azevedo e Silva added, who told reporters after a meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro that Brazil had experienced some years of "much higher fire peaks." serious ". However, he pointed to a situation "a bit worrying" in three states of the country, including that of Rondônia, border with Bolivia.
Emmanuel Macron on his side met Monday evening with the cacique Raoni, a figure of the fight against deforestation in the Amazon. The latter announced it at a press conference in Bidart, near Biarritz. "I asked President Macron to help us preserve our land," he said. "He will convince the heads of state to help the Amazon with the fires and the critical state of the forest," he added.
Nearly 80,000 forest fires have been reported in Brazil since the beginning of the year, including just over half in the Amazon. Under international pressure, Brazil finally came into action on Sunday in the Amazon, sending in particular two C-130 Hercules planes.
With Reuters and AFP