President Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Thursday that actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio is the mastermind of the recent Amazon rainforest wildfire.
On a webcast, Pres. Bolsonaro accused the non-government organization on setting the "Lungs of the Earth" on fire to campaign against Brazil, and the Hollywood actor played a role on it through his donation.
A portion of that donation was given to those who set the forest on fire as a compensation, said Pres. Bolsonaro, who did not bother to provide evidence to support his claim.
He also said the same statement on the following day while talking to his supporters outside the Presidential Palace in Brasilia.
"I stand with the conservationists."
Although he did not directly addressed the message to Pres. Bolsonaro, DiCaprio refuted the allegation through a message posted on his Instagram account on Sunday. He also said that he did not fund the organizations mentioned by Pres. Bolsonaro.
View this post on InstagramAt this time of crisis for the Amazon, I support the people of Brazil working to save their natural and cultural heritage. They are an amazing, moving and humbling example of the commitment and passion needed to save the environment. The future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake and I am proud to stand with the groups protecting them. While worthy of support, we did not fund the organizations targeted. I remain committed to supporting the Brazilian indigenous communities, local governments, scientists, educators and general public who are working tirelessly to secure the Amazon for the future of all Brazilians. A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on Nov 30, 2019 at 7:48am PST
He also said that he was proud to work with these "amazing, moving and humbling" workers.
He also described them as an "amazing, moving and humbling example" and he is proud to stand with them.
Despite the defamatory remarks, DiCaprio promised that he will continue supporting the Brazillian indigenous communities and the general public in their nature conservation advocacy.
DiCaprio, who gained worldwide recognition through the 1997 tragic film Titanic, established a self-named environment conservation group in 1998. He recently named Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg the "leader of our time" for her climate change efforts.
The Blame Game and the Threat
Before DiCaprio, Pres. Bolsonaro has pointed fingers on multiple conservation groups and blamed them for the blazes that occurred in the Amazon Forest. He also claimed that he loves the Amazon Forest and would protect it at all cost.
However, it is reported that he implemented some policies which have led to increased deforestation. For instance, he signed an executive order that grants the ministry of agriculture the responsibility for certifying indigenous lands, which did not just worsen the land-clearing but also the violence against the indigenous people.
Major global environmental groups Global Wildlife Conservation and IUCN Species Survival Commissions both condemned Bolsonaro's accusation through press releases.
GWC said that they were "alarmed" by the false accusations against environmental defenders and said that it was made to distract the general public from the real issues like the policies which caused this environmental disaster.
IUCN also called for a "highest protection of the law in Brazil" for conservationists, including those who worked in the government.
ALSO READ: Brazilian Deforestation Roars Ahead as Amazon Fires in 2019 Die Down
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