Macron Believes Bolsonaro 'Lied' on Climate at G20
French President Emmanuel Macron believes his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro lied to him on Brazil's stance on climate change, and France will now block a trade deal between the EU and South American nations.
"Given the attitude of Brazil over the last weeks, the president can only conclude that President Bolsonaro lied to him at the Osaka (G20) summit (in June)," a French presidential official said Friday, as a public row flared between the two leaders over wildfires raging in the Amazon rainforest.
The official said Brazil's comments and policies over the last few weeks showed that Bolsonaro did not intend to respect obligations on climate change and also did not want to commit on concrete proposals to maintain biodiversity.
"Under these conditions, France will oppose the Mercosur (Free Trade Agreement with the EU) as it stands," the official added.
Macron had tweeted Thursday that fires burning in the Amazon amount to an international crisis and should be discussed as a top priority when the G7 countries meet this weekend in France.
Bolsonaro then blasted Macron for having a "colonialist mentality."
Source: Agence France Presse
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