Seven Brazil states have federal backup to curb Amazon fires
President Jair Bolsonaro authorized the use of the Armed Forces in the efforts to fight the wildfire in the states of Acre, Mato Grosso, and Amazonas Sunday (Aug 25). This brings the number of states requesting federal support in the operations to seven.
Roraima, Rondônia, Tocantins, and Pará started lodging requests on Friday (23), when the president signed a decree mobilizing military agents. The move encompasses border areas, indigenous territories, federal environmental conservation units and other areas in the Legal Amazon area, which include the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas. Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and parts of Mato Grosso, Tocantins, and Maranhão.
In a radio and TV statement broadcast countrywide on Friday (23) to unveil measures to curb fires and deforestation in the rain forest, the president said wildfire happens elsewhere in the world and should not bring about international sanctions against Brazil.
“Brazil will continue to be—as it has been thus far—a country friendly to all, and responsible for the protection of its Amazon Forest,” he declared.
Bolsonaro further said the problem needs to be tackled with “serenity” and once again criticized demonstration in and outside of Brazil, which, he says, spread unfounded data which serve only to boost “the political use of misinformation.”
“Brazil is an example of sustainability. It conserves over 60 percent of its native vegetation, boasts modern environmental legislation, a Forest Code that should serve as a role model to the world. We have a clean, renewable energetic network, and we use it to make our contribution to the planet. Several developed countries, on the other hand, still haven’t been able to make strides in the commitments with the Paris Agreement,” he added.
Measures
In addition to backup sent to the states, Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva reported that some 44 thousand agents of the Armed Forces are constantly stationed in the Amazon region and may be mobilized in the operations.
The Economy Ministry published a note approving the move to earmark $9.42 million from the defense budget to finance the combat against the wildfire spearheaded by the Armed Forces. Airplanes of the Brazilian Air Force have also been sent to burning areas.
