Brazil says it will reject the G-7's $20 million in Amazon firefighting aid amid spat with French president

The Brazilian government said late Monday that it is rejecting its share of the $20 million that the Group of Seven leaders pledged earlier in the day to tackle the wildfires raging through the Amazon rainforest. Brazilian officials didn't explain the decision but cited French President Emmanuel Macron, who had announced the funds and offered French military assistance to fight the fires.

"We appreciate (the offer), but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe," Onyx Lorenzoni, chief of staff to President Jair Bolsonaro, told Brazilian media, in remarks confirmed by Bolsonaro's office. "Macron cannot even avoid a foreseeable fire in a church that is a world heritage site. What does he intend to teach our country?" Earlier Monday, before Bolsonaro met with his Cabinet, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles had welcomed the G-7 pledge of support.

Macron and Bolsonaro have been at loggerheads over the Amazon, with the Brazilian president accusing Macron of a "colonialist mentality" after the French leader said a European Union trade deal with South America was off unless Bolsonaro took protecting the Amazon seriously. Bolsonaro also endorsed a vicious personal attack on Macron's wife.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Macron said Monday that this isn't about him and Bolsonaro. "We respect your sovereignty. It's your country," he said. But "the Amazon forest is a subject for the whole planet. We can help you reforest. We can find the means for your economic development that respects the natural balance. But we cannot allow you to destroy everything."

About 60 percent of the Amazon is in Brazil — the rest stretches into eight other nations — and satellite data from Brazil's space agency shows wildfires are up 85 percent this year, with about 80,000 breaking out in Brazil's section alone this year. Brazil's firefighters are overwhelmed and under-equipped. It's not clear if Brazil is also turning down $12 million pledged separately by Britain, $11 million from Canada, and $5 million from actor Leonardo DiCaprio.