In his debut speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (24), Jair Bolsonaro's (PSL) attacked his environmental policy critics and other recurring targets - Cuba, Venezuela, NGOs, and the press.
The president said other nations use fallacies and "media lies" to question Brazil's sovereignty over the Amazon. In an indirect reference, he quoted French leader Emmanuel Macron, with whom he exchanged harsh statements amid the burning crisis. According to Bolsonaro, the forest is not being cleared or consumed by fire.
In a nod to his base, he said the country was "on the brink of socialism" - and made commendable mention of the 1964 military coup.
Auxiliaries even suggested a more subdued tone, but the president wanted to mark the style of his government at the UN, according to one of them.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon