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Brazilian President Blames Leonardo DiCaprio for Amazon Fires
“DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn’t he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire,” Bolsonaro said.
(TMU) — While speaking to a gathering of his supporters in Brasilia last week, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made a bizarre claim about Leonardo DiCaprio.
Bolsonaro blamed the actor for the recent Amazon fires, claiming that the DiCaprio paid to have the forest burned down, while offering no evidence to support his allegations.
“DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn’t he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire,” Bolsonaro said.
The president was referencing a number of charities that are being investigated by his administration, but there is still no evidence that these organizations had anything to do with the fires.
In a statement to the Associated Press on Friday, DiCaprio said that he has not funded any of the groups that are being investigated, but says that they are still worthy of support.
“While worthy of support, we did not fund the organizations targeted. The future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake and I am proud to stand with the groups protecting them,” DiCaprio’s statement read.
Then on Saturday, DiCaprio made a statement on Instagram saying:
“At this time of crisis for the Amazon, I support the people of Brazil working to save their natural and cultural heritage. They are an amazing, moving and humbling example of the commitment and passion needed to save the environment. The future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake and I am proud to stand with the groups protecting them. While worthy of support, we did not fund the organizations targeted. I remain committed to supporting the Brazilian indigenous communities, local governments, scientists, educators and general public who are working tirelessly to secure the Amazon for the future of all Brazilians.”
Bolsonaro and many members of his administration claim that nonprofit organizations intentionally set fires in the region to gain sympathy from potential donors. However, there is much more evidence to suggest that these fires were set by cattle ranchers and miners who have been encouraged to clear native lands for industrial use.
Bolsonaro campaigned on promises to allow corporations to pillage indigenous lands and since coming into office, his administration has significantly scaled back environmental protections, essentially giving a green light to loggers, miners, and ranchers to violently expel native tribes from their lands and destroy the local ecosystem.
Furthermore, documents leaked from the Brazilian government show that the current administration planned on building infrastructure projects through the Amazon as a way of pushing back against international pressure to put protections on the forest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znyzDlt4R2c
By John Vibes | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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