In a Facebook live video on Thursday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused actor/environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio of funding non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that later used his money to set the Amazon rain forest on fire.
“An NGO pays 70,000 reais ($16,588.08) for a fabricated photo of fires. And what is easier? You play ‘fire’ in the bush, take a photo, film it, send it to an NGO, the NGO exposes it, gets in touch with Leonardo DiCaprio, and Leonardo DiCaprio donates $500,000 to this NGO,” Bolsonaro said. “Leonardo DiCaprio, you are collaborating with the burning of the Amazon.”
On Friday morning, Bolsonaro told reporters, “Now Leonardo DiCaprio is a nice guy, right? Giving money to set fire to the Amazon.” Bolsonaro’s son, lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, also accused DiCaprio:
“Leonardo DiCaprio gave $300,000 to an NGO that set fire to the Amazon, the NGO the WWF paid 70,000 reais for the photos of the forest in flames,” he wrote, showing photos he alleged were fabricated.