Bolsonaro says Biden’s “obsession” with environmental issues is detrimental to Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday, August 30, stated that U.S. President Joe Biden is “almost obsessed with the environmental issue” and that this “hinders the Brazilian government somewhat.”

“From my part, Brazil’s doors are open and ready to continue talks with the American government. Obviously, Biden’s is a more leftist government. A government that is almost obsessed with the environmental issue, so this gets in our way a bit,” the president said.

“Brazil is the country that most preserves its environment. We are constantly being attacked by European countries. There they don’t know what riparian forest is, because they don’t have it. Here we do. We have some of the strictest legislation regarding this issue.”

Bolsonaro is under strong international pressure due to his rhetoric for a policy that seeks to deregulate conservation rules and, mainly, for the advance of deforestation in the Amazon.

After two years in which criticism came mainly from Europe, the situation changed with Biden’s arrival at the White House. Thus, the USA joined European countries and also began to demand commitments and results from Brazil on this issue.

The Bolsonaro government in April made a pledge during the climate summit led by the American president, where the Brazilian president committed to end illegal deforestation by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

But the challenges in delivering results in the fight against environmental crimes continue to be the main obstacle in the relationship between the two countries on environmental issues.

During Monday’s interview, Bolsonaro declared himself an “admirer of the American people.” Without naming ex-president Donald Trump specifically, he said he had hoped for the Republican’s re-election.

“I am an admirer of the American people. I cheered for a president [Trump] as a citizen, logically I cannot meddle in another country’s elections. We have welcomed officials from the American government in Brazil, they have expressed concern over the growth of the left-wing in Brazil and in the world,” he said.

“Brazil is always ready to talk to other countries. The USA is a very important country. Before I came to power in Brazil, previous governments, apart from ex-president Michel Temer’s, had no affection for the American government. So this dialogue was not good. With me it is good. We know and we are in contact with the American government regarding the current problems in Latin America; that there is interest on the part of the U.S. in trying to preserve or maintain democracy in these countries.”