UN: President Bolsonaro highlights the confrontation with Covid-19 and fight against environment

The United Nations General Assembly was held this Tuesday (22), virtually, because of the coronavirus. World leaders recorded their pronouncements

President Jair Bolsonaro at the opening of the 75th General Assembly of Nations - Photo: Marcos Corrêa

Sep 22, BRAZIL AT THE UN: For the first time, the United Nations General Assembly was held in a virtual environment because of Covid-19. World leaders sent videos recorded with their statements to the 75th United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (22). As a tradition, Brazil was the first to be heard.

In his speech, of almost 15 minutes, the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, lamented the deaths caused by the new coronavirus and talked about the measures taken by the Brazilian Government to face the disease. "From the beginning, I warned, in my country, that we had two problems to solve: the virus and unemployment, and that both should be treated simultaneously and with the same responsibility," he said.

President Bolsonaro also recalled that, despite the global crisis, rural production has not stopped, maintaining the preservation of native forests. "Our agribusiness continues to thrive and, above all, possessing and respecting the best environmental legislation on the planet".

He also highlighted the Brazilian environmental policy. “Criminal outbreaks are combated with rigour and determination. I maintain my zero-tolerance policy toward environmental crime. Together with the National Congress, we seek land regularization, aiming to identify the perpetrators of these crimes ”.

Check out the main themes of President Jair Bolsonaro's speech:

Covid-19: The President stressed the importance of combating the new coronavirus and unemployment. To this end, the Brazilian Government implemented economic measures for the payment of emergency aid to 65 million people, which allocated more than US $ 100 billion to health actions, aid to small and micro companies, as well as compensating the loss of revenue from the states and municipalities.

Rural production: Even with the crisis of the new coronavirus, President Bolsonaro stressed that rural production did not stop, and that truck drivers, seafarers, port workers and airmen kept the entire logistical flow for internal distribution and exports active. “We guarantee food security for a sixth of the world's population, even though we preserve 66% of our native vegetation and use only 27% of our territory for livestock and agriculture. Numbers that no other country has ”.

Environment: President Bolsonaro emphasized zero tolerance for environmental crimes and that Brazil is a leader in the conservation of tropical forests with the cleanest and most diversified energy matrix in the world. According to the President, the country is expanding and perfecting the use of technologies and improving interagency operations, including the participation of the Armed Forces.

Humanitarian support: The President recalled that Brazil has been an international reference for its commitment and dedication in providing support to Venezuelan refugees, who arrive in Brazil from the border in the state of Roraima with Operation Welcomed. According to him, the country has already received almost 400 thousand Venezuelans.

Peace operations: President Bolsonaro stressed that Brazil has the principles of peace, cooperation and the prevalence of human rights enshrined in the Constitution, and traditionally contributes, in practice, to the achievement of these objectives. He mentioned that the country has already participated in more than 50 peace operations and similar missions, having contributed more than 55 thousand military, police and civilians, with marked participation in Suez, Angola, East Timor, Haiti, Lebanon and Congo. Brazil had two soldiers awarded by the UN in the Mission of the Central African Republic for their work against sexual violence.

Foreign Policy: The country is committed to concluding the trade agreements signed between Mercosur and the European Union and with the European Free Trade Association, according to the President. Such agreements have important clauses that reinforce Brazil's commitment to environmental protection in the view of Jair Bolsonaro. He also said that Brazil is close to the beginning of the official accession process to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).