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Amazon Town Becomes Focus of Bolsonaro's Fight With NGOs

Associated Press

   ALTER DO CHAO, BRAZIL - A sleepy Amazon town has become the flashpoint
   for the growing hostility between Brazil's far-right President Jair
   Bolsonaro and environmental groups following the arrest of volunteer
   firefighters he has said set blazes in the rainforest.

   The episode prompted leaders of nine nongovernmental organizations on
   Tuesday to denounce the persecution of activists, academics and
   scientists since the election last year of Bolsonaro, who has accused
   many of them of working in the Amazon on behalf of foreigners --
   including actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The groups have been critical of
   Bolsonaro's push to develop the world's largest tropical rainforest.

   ``The government regards the third sector, Brazilian civil society, as
   the enemy of the country,'' Ricardo Borges, executive coordinator at
   Pact for Democracy, said on a video call with reporters that also
   included the Brazilian branches of the World Wildlife Fund and Amnesty
   International.

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