Bolsonaro demands Macron "withdraw his insults" before discussing G7 help

The two heads of state are mired in a war of words in recent days. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday that he is ready to discuss G7 aid to fight fires in the Amazon if French head of state Emmanuel Macron "withdraws (his) insults".

Brazil could accept $ 20 million bid by G7 countries to put out fires in the Amazon if French President Emmanuel Macron withdraws his "insults" , said on Tuesday, August 27, President Jair Bolsonaro.

The two heads of state are mired in a war of words in recent days. Jair Bolsonaro made fun of Brigitte Macron on Facebook and accused his French counterpart of not respecting the sovereignty of Brazil.

"Once he does, then we can talk"

The French president said he was "sad" about the "disrespectful" remarks made by the Brazilian president against his wife and said he hoped Brazil would "very quickly" have a president "up to the task" .

"At first he called me a liar and then, according to my information, he said that our sovereignty over the Amazon was an open question , " said Jair Bolsonaro before meeting the nine governors of Amazon.

"Before discussing and accepting anything from France [...] (Mr. Macron) must withdraw his words and from there, we will be able to speak," said the Brazilian president.

On Monday night, Brazil sharply rejected the $ 20 million aid proposed by the G7 countries to fight fires in the Amazon, advising the French president to deal with "his house and his colonies . "

"We thank (the G7 for its offer of help), but these means may be more relevant for the reforestation of Europe," said the chief of staff, Onyx Lorenzoni.

"Displaced and Free Attacks on the Amazon"

The question of the sovereignty of the Amazon is particularly sensitive in Brazil, where nearly 60% of the world's largest tropical forest, which is vital to the planet's environment, is located.

"We can not accept that a president, Macron, is launching loose and gratuitous attacks on the Amazon, or disguising his intentions behind the idea of ​​an" alliance "of G7 countries to" save "the Amazon, as if it was a colony, " reacted President Jair Bolsonaro shortly before.

On the last day of the summit in Biarritz (south-west of France), Emmanuel Macron had questioned the advisability of conferring an international status on the Amazon rainforest, in case the leaders of the region take decisions harmful to the planet.

"Associations and NGOs have for several years raised the question of defining an international status for the Amazon. This is not the framework of the initiative that we are taking, but it is a real question that arises if a sovereign state clearly and concretely takes measures that obviously oppose the interest from all over the planet, " said the French head of state.

"This is not the path that we are taking today, but it is a path that remains open and that will continue to flourish in the coming months and years because the issue is so climate can not say "this is just my problem," added Emmanuel Macron.

Relations between Paris and Brasilia, strained for weeks, have brutally deteriorated in recent days, with an exchange of insults and very un-diplomatic remarks between Jair Bolsonaro and Emmanuel Macron.

Sunday, August 25, the French president deplored the words "extraordinarily disrespectful" of the head of the Brazilian state against his wife Brigitte, saying hope "very quickly" that the Brazilians "will have a president who behaves at the height » .

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