https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-27/ ... y/11453958Brazil's government has said it will reject an offer of $US20 million ($30 million) in aid from G7 countries to help tackle fires in the Amazon.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the funding offer on Monday after talks at the summit of seven of the world's biggest economies in the French seaside town of Biarritz.
But Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who is in the middle of a personal feud with Mr Macron, questioned the motives behind the offer and accused France of treating Brazil like a colony.
Brazilian officials did not give a reason for turning down the funds, but Mr Bolsonaro's chief of staff Onyx Lorenzoni, when commenting on the G7 offer of aid, told Brazil's Globo news website: "Thanks, but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe."
"Macron cannot even avoid a predictable fire in a church that is part of the world's heritage, and he wants to give us lessons for our country?" Mr Lorenzoni added, referring to the fire that ravaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in April.
He also said Brazil could teach "any nation" how to protect native forests.
Under international pressure to act, Mr Bolsonaro said he might visit the Amazon region this week to check on the firefighting efforts.
Might visit?
Bolsonaro needs to be deposed and sent on his way before he greedily destroys the whole of the Amazon. He's only been in office since January and look at the damage he has caused. This is a world issue and needs to be treated as such.
