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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro skipping climate summit in Glasgow

By
Social Links for Isabel Vincent
Published Oct. 30, 2021
Updated Oct. 30, 2021, 4:26 p.m. ET

Under fire from environmental activists, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro is skipping out on the United Nations climate summit next week to accept honorary citizenship from an Italian town instead.

Bolsonaro’s itinerary shows he will attend the G20 summit in Rome this weekend, before heading to Anguillara Veneta in northeast Italy Monday, the same day that other world leaders are scheduled to gather at the UNCOP26 climate conference in Glasgow, the Buenos Aires Herald reported.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will not attend the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland after attending the G20 Summit in Rome.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will not attend the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland after attending the G20 summit in Rome. Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

The right-wing leader of South America’s biggest country has faced global criticism for the continuing deforestation in the Amazon region and for his handling of COVID in Brazil where more than 600,000 people have died during the pandemic.

Alessandra Buoso, a member of Italy’s far-right League party and mayor of Angillara Veneta, said that the honorary citizenship was “to reward the welcome that migrants from Anguillara Veneta have received in Brazil.”

Bolsonaro will instead go to Anguillara Veneta, Italy to accept an honorary citizenship.
Bolsonaro will instead go to Anguillara Veneta, Italy to accept an honorary citizenship. Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images