Bolsonaro can use meeting with Biden to promote anti-democratic agendas and distort reality, say Brazilian organizations

More than 70 civil society organizations sent a letter to the President of the United States where they warn about the possibility of Bolsonaro distorting the Brazilian reality at a bilateral meeting during the Summit of the Americas.

Encontro entre os presidentes acontecerá nesta quinta-feira (Foto: Gage Skidmore)

On Tuesday (7th of June), the Brazilian civil society organizations sent a letter to US President Joe Biden with a warning about the possibility that President Jair Bolsonaro could misrepresent the Brazilian reality at a bilateral meeting between the two leaders during the Summit of the Americas. The meeting between the presidents is scheduled for next Thursday (9th June).

The document, signed by more than 70 civil society organizations, including Conectas, calls attention to the possibility of President Jair Bolsonaro using the meeting to claim that the US president “endorses his attacks on democracy, free and fair elections, the environment, science, rights basic humans and the Amazon”.

In the letter, the bodies also highlight essential points for democracy in which the presidents differ, like on the issue of arms: “while [Joe Biden] seeks common sense gun control in the US, Bolsonaro is introducing more weapons into Brazilian society and promoting paramilitary groups”.

In addition, the organizations also stated in the documents that, President Biden should use the opportunity of the meeting with the Brazilian President to reinforce the defense of democracy, free and fair elections, climate action and the essential protection of the rainforest.

In the socio-environmental sphere, the organizations emphasize that agreements with Brazil on the Amazon need to have the full participation of civil society, as well as the progress of negotiations to be solely dependent on when Brazil proves its commitment to protecting the forest.