Amazon fires: Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro to use UN speech to reject criticism over response to blaze ravaging rainforest

(The Independent, 22 Sep 2019) World leaders brace for tension as Bolsonaro promises to stand defiant over devastating fires.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will head to New York on Monday in an attempt to defuse the international outcry over the fires raging through the Amazon while simultaneously asserting the country’s right to develop the rainforest as it sees fit.

Until recently, few countries enjoyed such widespread affection as Brazil did, with its tradition of multilateral and “soft power” diplomacy, its unrivalled footballing prowess and vast natural beauty.

But Mr Bolsonaro will address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday amid global indignation over his government’s handling of the deforestation in the Amazon.

Brazil’s government believes the international criticism is unfair, but its actions show that it’s worried, including about the potential economic consequences.

Fund managers with more than $16 trillion (£12.8tn) in assets have demanded action on deforestation, while European lawmakers are lining up to attack the trade deal between the European Union and the South American trade bloc that Brazil leads, Mercosur. Austria’s parliament rejected the agreement on Wednesday.

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The Independent, 22 Sep 2019: Amazon fires: Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro to use UN speech to reject criticism over response to blaze ravaging rainforest