Bolsonaro confronts Merkel

Upon arriving at the G20 summit in Osaka, president Bolsonaro gave interviews to criticise the declarations made the day before by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “Germany has a lot to learn with Brazil about the environment,” he said, adding that the Brazilian Government was not going to accept warnings by any country. Visibly irritated, he criticized the press coverage on the issue and declared that Brazil “will no longer accept to be treated or warned by developed countries like some of our predecessors did”.

The public debate with Merkel happened on the eve of the signature of the trade deal between the EU and Mercosur, which happened at the G20 on the 28th. The agreement for the trade deal took more than 20 years, marking a historic moment between the two blocks of countries that, together, represent around 25% of the global GDP and house 780 million people. The text of the agreement, which has yet to be ratified by national governments, establishes social and environmental compensations to both parties as detailed in the “Sustainable Development ” chapter. The main item on this chapter is the permanence and defense of the Paris Agreement, as well as respect for labour laws and indigenous rights.