Germany and France Bought Illegal Wood from Brazil, According to Federal Police; Bolsonaro threatens Europeans

President cites material tracking method; details were presented to ambassadors in the Amazon

Brasília

A Federal Police operation that seized illegal timber to be exported to eight European countries was used by President Jair Bolsonaro (without a party) in a ploy in which he threatened to reveal a list of nations that buy the irregularly extracted material from the Amazon.

The PF Archimedes operation resulted in the seizure of 120 containers with 2,400 m³ of illegally harvested wood that was to be sold to importing companies in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Holland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro gestures during the commemoration of the 54th anniversary of the creation of Brazil's Tourism Board (EMBRATUR) at Planalto Palace in Brasilia, on November 17, 2020. (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP) - AFP


The operation was launched in 2017 and took new steps in the following years.

Without citing the operation or the countries' names, Bolsonaro on Tuesday (17) complained of "unjustifiable attacks" on the government's environmental policy and promised to make public the countries that are recipients of illegal timber.

The threat is yet another reaction from the president to the criticisms he has received in the face of increased deforestation in the Amazon and the wave of fires in the region and the Pantanal.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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