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Dispute Over Amazon Gets Personal for Bolsonaro and Macron Dispute Over Amazon Gets Personal for Bolsonaro and Macron
(about 16 hours later)
PARIS — What began as an argument over fires raging in the Amazon rainforest has quickly turned into an intensely personal verbal feud between President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and President Emmanuel Macron.PARIS — What began as an argument over fires raging in the Amazon rainforest has quickly turned into an intensely personal verbal feud between President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and President Emmanuel Macron.
The back and forth reached a new pitch after Mr. Bolsonaro made a sarcastic comment on a Facebook post mocking the physical appearance of the French president’s wife.The back and forth reached a new pitch after Mr. Bolsonaro made a sarcastic comment on a Facebook post mocking the physical appearance of the French president’s wife.
Mr. Macron hit back on Monday with condescension. He called Mr. Bolsonaro “sad” and ill behaved. He even went so far as to say that he hoped Brazil would soon have a different leader.Mr. Macron hit back on Monday with condescension. He called Mr. Bolsonaro “sad” and ill behaved. He even went so far as to say that he hoped Brazil would soon have a different leader.
Mr. Macron has emerged as one of the world leaders most critical of Mr. Bolsonaro, a far-right populist and climate change skeptic, who has been accused of encouraging deforestation. Scrutiny of his policies has intensified as international attention has turned to the devastating fires ravaging the rainforest, many of them intentionally set to clear land.Mr. Macron has emerged as one of the world leaders most critical of Mr. Bolsonaro, a far-right populist and climate change skeptic, who has been accused of encouraging deforestation. Scrutiny of his policies has intensified as international attention has turned to the devastating fires ravaging the rainforest, many of them intentionally set to clear land.
Last week, Mr. Macron called the fires a global crisis that should be addressed at the Group of 7 summit meeting in Biarritz, France, that concluded on Monday. Mr. Bolsonaro accused Mr. Macron of having a “colonialist mind-set” and told him to stay out of Brazilian business.Last week, Mr. Macron called the fires a global crisis that should be addressed at the Group of 7 summit meeting in Biarritz, France, that concluded on Monday. Mr. Bolsonaro accused Mr. Macron of having a “colonialist mind-set” and told him to stay out of Brazilian business.
The French president then accused his Brazilian counterpart of lying about his commitment to fighting climate change, and said that he would oppose a major trade deal negotiated between the European Union and South American nations.The French president then accused his Brazilian counterpart of lying about his commitment to fighting climate change, and said that he would oppose a major trade deal negotiated between the European Union and South American nations.
Mr. Bolsonaro appeared to retreat somewhat on Friday, agreeing to deploy the military to fight the fires.Mr. Bolsonaro appeared to retreat somewhat on Friday, agreeing to deploy the military to fight the fires.
[Mr. Macron and others shared images of a forest in flames widely, but some photos were not what they appeared to be.][Mr. Macron and others shared images of a forest in flames widely, but some photos were not what they appeared to be.]
But on Sunday, he responded to a Facebook comment left by a supporter that mocked Brigitte Macron’s appearance and featured a photo of the two leaders and their wives side by side.But on Sunday, he responded to a Facebook comment left by a supporter that mocked Brigitte Macron’s appearance and featured a photo of the two leaders and their wives side by side.
“Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?” the poster asked. A comment under Mr. Bolsonaro’s name replied: “Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha.” It is unclear if Mr. Bolsonaro posted the comment himself.“Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?” the poster asked. A comment under Mr. Bolsonaro’s name replied: “Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha.” It is unclear if Mr. Bolsonaro posted the comment himself.
Mr. Macron responded to the insult on Monday in the same news conference in which he announced an aid package by Group of 7 member states worth $20 million to combat the fires raging in the Amazon.Mr. Macron responded to the insult on Monday in the same news conference in which he announced an aid package by Group of 7 member states worth $20 million to combat the fires raging in the Amazon.
Mr. Bolsonaro’s comment was “extremely rude,” Mr. Macron said, adding: “Above all, it’s sad for him and the Brazilian people.”Mr. Bolsonaro’s comment was “extremely rude,” Mr. Macron said, adding: “Above all, it’s sad for him and the Brazilian people.”
“I think that the Brazilian people, who are a great people, are a bit ashamed to see these attitudes,” he added. “And because I have a lot of friendship and respect for the Brazilian people, I hope that they will very quickly have a president who behaves properly.”“I think that the Brazilian people, who are a great people, are a bit ashamed to see these attitudes,” he added. “And because I have a lot of friendship and respect for the Brazilian people, I hope that they will very quickly have a president who behaves properly.”
A short time later, Mr. Bolsonaro posted a series of furious tweets denouncing the Group of 7 moves to protect the rainforest, and saying that he and the president of Bolivia intended to come up with their own plan to combat the blazes.A short time later, Mr. Bolsonaro posted a series of furious tweets denouncing the Group of 7 moves to protect the rainforest, and saying that he and the president of Bolivia intended to come up with their own plan to combat the blazes.
“We can’t accept that a president, Macron, fire baseless and gratuitous attacks at the Amazon, nor that he disguise his intentions behind the idea of an ‘alliance’ of G-7 countries to ‘save’ the Amazon, as if we were a colony or a no-man’s land,” he wrote.“We can’t accept that a president, Macron, fire baseless and gratuitous attacks at the Amazon, nor that he disguise his intentions behind the idea of an ‘alliance’ of G-7 countries to ‘save’ the Amazon, as if we were a colony or a no-man’s land,” he wrote.
He added that “respect for the sovereignty of any country is the least that can be expected in a civilized world.”He added that “respect for the sovereignty of any country is the least that can be expected in a civilized world.”
[Mr. Bolsonaro later rejected the aid package offered by Group of 7 nations, citing Mr. Macron’s remarks.]
Mr. Macron has also been the target of vitriol from others in Mr. Bolsonaro’s circle.Mr. Macron has also been the target of vitriol from others in Mr. Bolsonaro’s circle.
In a Twitter post on Sunday, Abraham Weintraub, the Brazilian education minister, called the French president an “opportunistic clown” who was “not up to the challenge” and had caved in to the “French agriculture lobby” over the trade deal.In a Twitter post on Sunday, Abraham Weintraub, the Brazilian education minister, called the French president an “opportunistic clown” who was “not up to the challenge” and had caved in to the “French agriculture lobby” over the trade deal.
Mr. Bolsonaro has called for opening forest land to mining, logging, farming and ranching, and environmentalists say he has emboldened people to exploit the region, legally or not. They say his policies are the main driver of the sharp increase in fires and deforestation this year.Mr. Bolsonaro has called for opening forest land to mining, logging, farming and ranching, and environmentalists say he has emboldened people to exploit the region, legally or not. They say his policies are the main driver of the sharp increase in fires and deforestation this year.
The Amazon forests are vital to Indigenous peoples and endangered wildlife, and absorb a significant share of the planet’s climate-warming carbon dioxide.The Amazon forests are vital to Indigenous peoples and endangered wildlife, and absorb a significant share of the planet’s climate-warming carbon dioxide.
The tensions over climate policies and the fragile trade deal have been brewing for some time. Last month, Mr. Bolsonaro got a haircut instead of meeting with the French foreign minister, a move widely seen in France as a deliberate snub.The tensions over climate policies and the fragile trade deal have been brewing for some time. Last month, Mr. Bolsonaro got a haircut instead of meeting with the French foreign minister, a move widely seen in France as a deliberate snub.