Brazil's President Isn't Accepting International Amazon Funding Until French Leader Apologises To Him

The Amazon continues to burn despite Brazilian authorities doing everything they can to stop the thousands of fires consuming the 'world's lungs'.

Well, they're doing nearly everything they can.

The leaders of America, France, Italy, the UK, Germany, Japan and Canada recently pledged $20 million to go towards the fire effort, however it's been blocked by Brazil's president because of a spat with French leader Emmanuel Macron.

"We appreciate [the offer], but maybe those resources are more relevant to reforest Europe," Onyx Lorenzoni, Mr Bolsonaro's chief of staff, told G1 News.

PA

"Macron cannot even avoid a foreseeable fire in a church that is a world heritage site. What does he intend to teach our country?"

Thankfully, it seems like Jair Bolsonaro has had a change of heart, saying he will only accept the massive collection of funds if Mr Macron apologises to him.

He made this compromise to the French leader: "Mr Macron must withdraw the insults he made against me. To talk or accept anything from France, with the best possible intentions, he has to withdraw these words, and from there we can talk.

This sandbox feud started when someone shared a photo on Facebook comparing Bolsonaro's wife with Mr Macron's.

The Brazilian leader commented on the post, saying: "do not humiliate the guy, ha ha."

Real smooth there.

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Macron took offence to that and called out his Brazilian counterpart, saying: "He said very disrespectful things about my wife, I have great respect for the Brazilian people and can only hope they soon have a president who is up to the job."

It's ridiculous that the leader of a country would refuse aid from a collection of countries all because an elementary spat.

The Amazon, dubbed the world's lungs because of how much oxygen it releases, is burning at a terrifying rate and Brazil's leader won't accept much needed funds until he gets a 'sorry' - that's where we're at at the moment.

In the meantime, Bolsonaro has ordered warplanes to drop water in seven states to fight the flames in the Amazon.

Footage has now been shared by Força Aérea Brasileira (the Brazilian air force) showing a plane dumping water as it passes through a cloud of smoke. There have been more than 72,000 fires in the Amazon this year, a number that has never been recorded.

In addition to the G7 leader's pledge, the UK has donated $12 million and Canada has given $11 million.

Topics: World News, News, Amazon

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie