“Brazil Needs Solidarity, not Sanctions,” Says Portuguese Prime Minister

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa expressed on Friday “full solidarity ” with the Brazilian people and with Brazil, for the tragic situation that is being experienced” in the largest rainforest in the world.

“The Amazon is one of the world’s largest lungs and what happens there is
a global problem,” the head of the Portuguese government explained to journalists.

Faced with French President Emmanuel Macron’s threat to oppose the trade treaty between the European Union and Mercosur as a result of the increase in the number of fires in the Amazon, the Portuguese Prime Minister expressed his opposition.

“Brazil needs solidarity, not sanctions. What we need is action to help save the Amazon, not to increase the number of existing issues in Europe-Brazil relations,” said Costa.

He considered that the “dramatic situation in the Amazon” should not be confused with the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. It is, however, “a very important trade agreement for the Portuguese economy,” he said.

But the tragedy that is afflicting the Amazon rainforest should not now be used by the “countries which have always opposed” a free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, Costa said.

Bolsonaro’s telephone conversation with Costa about the Amazon

The spokesman for the Brazilian Presidency disclosed to the Portuguese weekly Sol the purpose of Bolsonaro’s phone call. It was Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, who made the call – and the conversation with António Costa was “very sincere and friendly”.

In the midst of a war of words with Emmanuel Macron over the fires in the Amazon, the aim was to provide the Portuguese Prime Minister with an “objective reading” and “real data”, said Otávio Rêgo Barros this Saturday.

The conversation took place on Wednesday, August 28th, after Bolsonaro had demanded an apology from his French counterpart, who he accused of having a colonialist mindset.

“President Bolsonaro made a point of establishing a very sincere and friendly conversation with the Portuguese Prime Minister to objectively convey accurate data on the situation of fires occurring in the states covered within the area known as the ‘Legal Amazon’,” explains Rêgo Barros.

The spokesman for the Presidency further stated that the contact had been used to show that Brazil was open to dialogue, but also to reaffirm the significance of the EU-Mercosur agreement for both countries.

From the Portuguese side, he said to have found support: “The Prime Minister expressed his solidarity with the Brazilian President for the current situation in Brazil”.

After worldwide reports of fires and deforestation in the Amazon, France, Ireland and Finland have challenged the EU-Mercosur agreement, which has taken 20 years to negotiate.

António Costa, on the other hand, said that Portugal “has always fought for this agreement” and that he will endeavor to ensure that it is honored, with the “concerns and goals of protecting ecosystems”.