Amazon deforestation explodes under Brazil’s president ‘Captain Chainsaw’
- Since taking power, Jair Bolsonaro has been accused of harming the Amazon to benefit his supporters in the logging, mining and farming industries
- Around 2,254 sq km of the Amazon were cleared in July, an increase of 278 per cent from a year ago
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon “exploded” in July it has emerged as Jair Bolsonaro scoffed at his portrayal as Brazil’s “Captain Chainsaw” and mocked Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel for challenging him over the devastation.
Speaking in Sao Paulo this week, Brazil’s president attacked the leaders of France and Germany – who have both voiced concern about the surge in destruction since Bolsonaro took office in January.
“They still haven’t realised Brazil’s under new management,” Bolsonaro declared to cheers of approval from his audience.
“Now we’ve got a blooming president.”
The far-right populist repeated claims that his administration – which critics accuse of helping unleash a new wave of environmental destruction – was the victim of a mendacious international smear campaign based on “imprecise” satellite data showing a jump in deforestation.
