This is what a doomsday scenario looks like. We don't say that lightly. The Amazon, one of the world's most valuable if not the most valuable resource is being gutted and cut down so that large corporations can reap profits while the rest us, wait for cheap meat at the drive in.
On August 10th, cattle ranchers announced 'the day of fire', inspired by the words of President Jair Bolsonaro where they "coordinated the burning of pasture and forest area to show the President that they want to work". State prosecutors are currently investigating the case, where they saw a 300% increase in fires last Saturday, compared to the same day last year.
Yesterday, a video went around of a Native Pataxo woman crying as she watched the forest behind her burn. She claimed to have seen men starting fires in her forest, and begged the world to no longer ignore the ongoing displacement and destruction that is happening all throughout the amazonian rainforest.
Now, besides the few reports and the video itself, there is little proof yet, that these fires were set and not the product of a dry spell, but looking at the growing trend it is hard to imagine they are the product of anything else.
And if that's the case, well, pack it up because were done here!
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro suggested non-governmental organisations had set fires, as revenge for his government slashing their funding
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 22, 2019
But he didn’t show any evidence, and he later claimed he never accused them
Watch more: https://t.co/LKtle0Cz6k pic.twitter.com/paSH6uYf8w
There have been a record 72,843 forest fires in the Amazon rainforest so far this year — an 83% jump from last year.
— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 20, 2019
Some are natural, but many are illegally set by cattle ranchers.
9,500+ fires have been recorded since Thursday. pic.twitter.com/5iMTMcHuib
Cattle ranchers in southern Amazonia organised a 'Day of Fire' on 10/08/19 https://t.co/Kk9WA45qCN to show Brazilian President #Bolsonaro that they are "ready to work" by starting at least 124 forest fires around Novo Progresso. Image @NOAASatellites 1/3 pic.twitter.com/3uXDizA5Jq
— Alex Lees (@Alexander_Lees) August 19, 2019
Cattle ranchers in southern Amazonia organised a 'Day of Fire' on 10/08/19 https://t.co/Kk9WA45qCN to show Brazilian President #Bolsonaro that they are "ready to work" by starting at least 124 forest fires around Novo Progresso. Image @NOAASatellites 1/3 pic.twitter.com/3uXDizA5Jq
— Alex Lees (@Alexander_Lees) August 19, 2019
This doomsday photo was taken in Sao Paolo y'day showing the BURNING of the Amazon Rainforest by cattle ranchers protected by Bolsonaro's Gvt. I can't understand how this can happen in Brazil in this century (or any country). Our earth can't take this. Humanity can't take this. pic.twitter.com/YGqc5oI76d
— Jo Corlett (@JACRic1) August 20, 2019
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