Bolsonaro criticizes Norway after stopping rainforest support

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro receives the Maua Merit Medal for services to the national infrastructure, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

“Norway has nothing to teach us,” says Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro after the Norwegian decision to withdraw support for the preservation of the Amazon.


Deforestation in the Brazilian part of the Amazon has risen sharply after strongly right-wing Bolsonaro took over as president.

In addition, the Norwegian government believes that Brazil has breached parts of the agreement that form the basis for cooperation with Norway on the conservation of the rainforest. Norway is, therefore, holding back NOK 300 million which Brazil was expected to receive.

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Harsh criticism

The decision was announced on Thursday, and shortly thereafter Bolsonaro came out with harsh criticism of Norway. It writes Today’s Business, which refers to Brazilian media quoting the president.

“Norway, isn’t it the country that kills whales at the North Pole? Who mines oil there? They have nothing to teach us,” Bolsonaro said.

He also grumbled with Germany, which, like Norway, has provided Brazil with financial support for the preservation of the rainforest.

“Take the money and help Angela Merkel with planting forests in Germany,” said the Brazilian president.

The Norwegian-Brazilian cooperation on the preservation of the Amazon has been going on for over ten years. Deforestation in the rainforest areas leads to large emissions of greenhouse gases as well as loss of animal and plant species.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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