Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro blamed actor Leonardo DiCaprio for making donations to nonprofit organizations that he claims caused the fires that have ravaged the Amazon rainforest.
Bolsonaro told supporters Friday, “DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn’t he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire.” His comments came after a law enforcement raid at the offices of two nonprofit organizations in the Amazonian state of Para. Multiple volunteer firefighters, who deny wrongdoing, were arrested and subsequently released. Local police say they are being accused of igniting fires to obtain funding through nonprofits.
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which pledged $5 million to help protect the rainforest, attempts to implement “solutions that help restore balance to threatened ecosystems, ensuring the long-term health and well-being of all Earth’s inhabitants.”
The foundation focuses on grant-making, public campaigns, and media initiatives dedicated to raising awareness for six program areas: Wildlands Conservation, Oceans Conservation, Climate Change, Indigenous Rights, Transforming California, and Innovative Solutions.
During the G-7 summit in August, a gathering of representatives from the world’s seven largest economies, the leaders announced they were making $20 million in aid available to the country to fight the fires. Bolsonaro initially declined the money and then later decided to leave the door open to the possibility of accepting the contributions.
The actor was designated as the United Nations Messenger of Peace for Climate Change. He also received the 2014 Clinton Global Citizen Award. In addition to his foundation, DiCaprio serves on the board of several environmental organizations, including World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, Oceans 5, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
