Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro blamed Leonardo DiCaprio, an environmental activist and activist, for the fires that invaded the Amazon forests. On Thursday, in a live online broadcast, Bolsonaro said non-governmental organizations have contributed to the fires that caused tremendous damage to the Amazon forest in August this year.
?NGO people, what did they do? What's simpler? To set it ablaze, ?he said, without offering any proof.
He went on: ?Take a photo, a video, send it to an NGO, NGO distribute it, launch a campaign against Brazil, speak with Leonardo DiCaprio and Leonardo DiCaprio donates $ 500,000 to this NGO. Part of that goes for the people who set the forest on fire or not?
"Leonardo DiCaprio, is giving up on Amazon firefighters. We cannot afford this, ?Bolsonaro said.
The Brazilian president slammed those accusations on Friday as he spoke to supporters outside the Presidential Palace in Brasilia.
"Leonardo DiCaprio is a good man, isn't he? A good man who donates money to set Amazon on fire, ?he said.
DiCaprio responded to the allegations Saturday, via an Instagram post. He rejected Bolsonaro's allegations and continued to support the people working to save the forest.
"The future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake and I proudly say that I support the groups that protect them," he wrote. "Although they deserved to be supported, we did not fund any of the organizations mentioned."
This is not the first time Bolsonaro has blamed NGOs for Amazon fires. In August, when the situation was at a critical level, he accused environmental groups of arson.
The allegations were dismissed by Amnesty International, which made it clear that Bolsonaro and his policies had paved the way for companies to cut down forests and clear land.
Source: CNN
