US President Donald Trump backs Brazil president on Amazon fires

Washington: President Trump on Tuesday voiced support for Brazilian far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration faces international scrutiny over the surge in wildfires in the Amazon rainforest.

"I have gotten to know President @jairbolsonaro well in our dealings with Brazil," Trump tweeted of the populist leader who has been dubbed the "Trump of the Tropics." "He is working very hard on the Amazon fires and in all respects doing a great job for the people of Brazil - Not easy. He and his country have the full and complete support of the USA!"

The supportive remarks from Trump came the same day Brazil rejected a $20 million aid package from Group of Seven (G-7) nations to battle wildfires that have ravaged the Amazon rainforest, a region that serves as a vital carbon store for the rest of the world.