This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
Published on August 27, 2019, a day after the G7 summit in France, Brazil's rejection of aid to fight the Amazon wildfires has sparked a diplomatic row with France.
Onyx Lorenzoni, chief of staff to President Jair Bolsonaro, told the G1 news website that Brazil appreciated the offer but suggested the resources would be more relevant to reforesting Europe.
The $20 million (Sh2 billion) pledge was made at the G7 summit in France to help combat the rainforest blaze that has swept across 950,000 hectares (2.3 million acres) and prompted the deployment of the army.
Lorenzoni's comments were a response to French President Emmanuel Macron's tweet that the fires burning in the Amazon basin amounted to an international crisis and should be discussed as a top priority at the G7 summit.
Macron's tweet had sparked a reaction from Bolsonaro, who blasted Macron for having a 'colonialist mentality.'
"We appreciate (the offer), but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe," Lorenzoni said, adding that Macron should focus on "his home and his colonies."
"Macron cannot even avoid a foreseeable fire in a church that is a world heritage site. What does he intend to teach our country?" Lorenzoni continued, referring to the fire in April that devastated the Notre-Dame cathedral.
