Minister in Brazil suggests that the government take advantage of the pandemic to relax environmental regulations

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in a new window)
• Click to email a friend (Opens in a new window)

Ricardo Salles, Minister of Environment of Brazil. Credit: BERTRAND GUAY / AFP via Getty Images

(CNN) - Ricardo Salles, Brazil's environment minister, suggested that the government should take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to "change all the rules" and "simplify the rules" around environmental regulations, a recent video showed on Friday. of the cabinet meeting.

"We need to make an effort, while we are in this moment of calm in terms of press coverage, because they are only talking about covid-19 to change all the rules and simplify the rules," said Salles during the cabinet meeting on April 22. . . "Now is the time to join forces and simplify regulations."

• LOOK: Jair Bolsonaro on controversial video: "There is nothing"

Salles also stated during the meeting that the government "would not need Congress" because "they would not get anything approved."

The video of the closed-door cabinet meeting was released Friday by the Supreme Court as part of an investigation into allegations that President Jair Bolsonaro interfered in police matters.

• MIRA: Deforestation in the Amazon is accelerating despite the coronavirus

Salles wrote on his personal Twitter on Friday: “I always advocated red tape and simplified regulations in all areas, using common sense and within the law. The network of irrational rules prevents investments, the creation of new jobs and the sustainable development of Brazil ”.

Jair Bolsonaro