Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has been an active crusader for the fight against climate change, and urged for action during the Amazon forest fires. DiCaprio's environmental organisation Earth Alliance has pledged $5 million to help protect the Amazon after a surge in fires destroyed large parts of the rainforest in July and August.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, on Friday, said DiCaprio was partly responsible for the fires. Without providing any proof, Bolsonaro claimed DiCaprio had funded nonprofit groups that are partly responsible for fires in the Amazon this year. His remarks about the actor were part of a wider government campaign against environmental nonprofit groups operating in Brazil.
"DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn't he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire," the president said to supporters in Brasilia.
Some members of Bolsonaro's administration argue that civil society groups and environmental laws hinder economic development in the region.
The criticism of DiCaprio and environmental activists follows a police raid at the headquarters of two nonprofit groups in the Amazonian state of Para earlier this week. Local police also arrested four volunteer firefighters and say they are investigating them for allegedly igniting fires to obtain funding from sympathetic donors.
The volunteer firefighters denied any wrongdoing and a judge ordered their release.
-inputs from AP
