Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro threatened to defend the Amazon with "gunpowder" in a wild speech at the Planalto Palace.
Bolsonaro threatened in response to presidential contender Joe Biden threatening to tank the Brazilian economy.
Bolsonaro had yet to recognize Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the United States presidential elections four days ago.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said that "he must have gunpowder" to face the candidate for head of state that wants to impose sanctions because of the Amazon.
"Everyone who has wealth cannot say that he is happy, no, he has to be careful with wealth because he is full of trickster with an eye on it. And Brazil is a very rich country," said the president.
"We have just seen a great candidate for the head of state say that if I do not put out the fire in the Amazon, it will raise trade barriers against Brazil. And how can we deal with all this? Only diplomacy is not enough, isn't it, Ernesto [ Araújo, Chancellor]? When you run out of saliva, you have to have gunpowder; otherwise, it doesn't work," Bolsonaro continued.
Bolsonaro did not quote Biden, the elected president of the United States. During the first and chaotic presidential debate with Donald Trump, then a candidate for reelection, Biden said that "the rainforest in Brazil is being destroyed."
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon