Brazil's Bolsonaro blames NGOs for Amazon fires

Thursday, 22 August 2019 11:40

LAUREN DAUPHIN / NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY / AFP

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has accused non-governmental organisations (NGO), without citing evidence, of burning down the Amazon rainforest to hurt his government.

It comes as a growing global outcry against the wildfires raged on social media, with #PrayforAmazonas trending on Twitter.

According to the official stats, nearly 73,000 fires were recorded between January and August, compared with 39,759 in all of 2018.

Several experts have blamed traditional farming methods and the current political rhetoric for it.

"Increased deforestation and burning are the result of his anti-environmental policy." said Marcio Astrini, Greenpeace Brazil's public policy coordinator.

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