Bolsonaro: Amazon Deforestation Criticism by EU Countries “Entirely Unfounded”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday, November 6th, that criticism from European Union countries regarding deforestation in Brazil is “entirely unfounded”, particularly with respect to the Amazon.

The statement came as representatives of European countries participated in the last day of a visit to the North of Brazil, accompanied by Vice-President Hamilton Mourão, Minister of Environment Ricardo Salles, and Minister of Agriculture Tereza Cristina.

“No one in the world, I don’t know of any, has clean energy sources like we have. Take the countries most critical of us, part of the European Union, their criticism is entirely unfounded particularly when they mention our Amazon region,” said Bolsonaro.

At the inauguration ceremony for a small hydroelectric plant in Renascença (PR), Bolsonaro said that next year, through land tenure it would be possible to “address” accusations related to deforestation and patch burning in Brazil.

He also reiterated that Brazil is the country that most preserves the environment, despite the high rates of deforestation and fire outbreaks in the Pantanal and Amazon biomes this year.

Bolsonaro stated that he intends to proceed with the land tenure project in the environmental area in 2021, something that, according to him, was not possible this year. “We intend to achieve next year what we couldn’t achieve this year with respect to the environment, to achieve land tenure in our country,” he said.

And he added: “So we can easily address the issues we are accused of, deforestation and fires, which in large part is only exacerbated because there is a trade war at stake with the whole world.”

The President reiterated praise for his cabinet, particularly Minister of Infrastructure Tarcísio de Freitas. “I am pleased to lead a technical cabinet, competent, committed to the future of Brazil and an ally of all governors, with no exceptions,” he noted.

He also said he enjoys an “excellent relationship” with Paraná Governor Ratinho Junior (PSD) and praised the management of the Brazilian Director General of Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric plant, General Joaquim Silva and Luna.

Without going into details, Bolsonaro said that “soon, it seems, we will have another Itaipu Binacional on Paraná soil”, which he considered “very good” and “welcome”. The Chief Executive also pointed out that it is still “difficult to invest in Brazil”.

However, he mentioned having asked Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque to analyze how to expedite environmental concessions and clearances “so that we can take another leap in Brazil on the issue of energy generation,” particularly water resources. Earlier, Bolsonaro remarked that it was “shameful” that the licensing of the Bedim SHP (small hydropower plant), inaugurated on Friday, had taken about 20 years.

The Minister of Mines and Energy was expected to attend the SHP inauguration ceremony. However, the widespread blackout in Macapá (AP) led the head of the portfolio to cancel his participation in the presidential delegation.

Since Wednesday, November 4th, most of Amapá’s municipalities have been experiencing an energy blackout after a fire struck the state capital’s power substation. In his address, the President did not comment on the blackout that has been going on for days in Amapá.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo