The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, asked his government this Monday for “agility” in the fight against criminal organizations in the Amazon that contribute to deforestation in the largest rainforest in the world.
“Never before in the history of Brazil has it been thought of taking such an extraordinary step to try to take care of the Amazon as now,” said Lula when leading in Brasilia the signing of a contract that grants 318 million reais (58.7 million dollars ) to expand the presence of state forces in this territory of 6.3 million km2, 60% of which is located in Brazil.
But he asked for “agility to make” that plan a reality, launched in July of last year by his government with a planned budget of 1.2 billion reais ($222 million).
“If it takes another year (to implement it) we will end the mandate without putting the plan into practice,” warned the leftist president, who will hand over power at the end of 2026.
The Amazon Plan: Security and Sovereignty contemplates a reinforcement of equipment, such as boats and helicopters, to combat criminal organizations that cut down and burn the jungle.
The contract was made between the National Economic Development Bank and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and the resources come from the Amazon Fund, financed mainly by Norway and Germany.
The security plan also includes the installation in Manaus, the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, of an international police cooperation center, with intelligence officials from the nine countries with territory in the enormous jungle.
Environment Minister Marina Silva said that increasing the State’s surveillance capacity allowed deforestation to be reduced by half in 2023, the first year of Lula’s return to power.
But he reiterated the call to the rest of the countries to stop pollution.
“If the world does not do its part by reducing CO2 emissions based on the use of fossil fuels, we are going to lose the Amazon anyway because it may enter a process of savanna,” Silva said.
Lula promised to end illegal deforestation in Brazil by 2030.
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