Amazon fires: Brazil to reject G7 offer of $22m aid

2019-08-27 16:59:45

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has ruled out accepting a G7 offer of aid to fight fires in the Amazon rainforest unless he gets an apology from his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Mr Bolsonaro said the French leader should apologise for insulting him personally by calling him a liar. Mr Macron had accused him of "lying" about fighting climate change. Aid worth $22m (£18m) was announced by Mr Macron at a summit in France of the seven leading industrial powers. Satellite data show a record number of fires burning in Brazil, most of them in the Amazon region. Earlier, Brazilian ministers said the G7 money was not needed and they accused foreign powers of wanting control of the Amazon.