Netizens React to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Beef With Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

On 29 November, Brazilian President Bolsonaro accused the Hollywood star of “giving money” to set Brazil’s Amazon rainforest on fire. DiCaprio, who is an outspoken environmentalist and has pledged five million dollars for the Amazon since the fires started in August, denied the claim.

Social media users have taken Leonardo DiCarprio’s side in his public beef with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, mocking the president’s claim that the Hollywood actor paid money to non-governmental groups that started devastating fires in the Amazon. Some netizens even managed to prove that DiCaprio is “guilty”.

Do we have pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio setting fire to the Amazon? Yes we have: @jairmearrependi pic.twitter.com/l2WdOtXC8j

— Edgard Piccino (@epiccino) November 30, 2019

Leo was spotted starting the fire with a BBQ lighter and some old newspapers pic.twitter.com/sdugaYbnWj

— Michael 🎄 (@MichaelADLyons) December 1, 2019

​Others wondered how Brazilian could come up with such a claim, which they called absurd.

Tweet:"Bolsonaro before saying that Leonardo DiCaprio had the Amazon burned."

Bolsonaro antes de falar que o Leonardo DiCaprio mandou queimar a amazôniapic.twitter.com/6l26dglAPm

— ੈ‧₊ aurea [au sssk 📌] (@bakwgoukatsu) November 30, 2019

​Some netizens assumed that President Bolsonaro simply wants to get attention from the Hollywood…

Bozo is completely in love with Leo. He just wants some attention.
The old captain can't supress his feelings. pic.twitter.com/LBIGG6Hawd

— Sgt Pepper - URSAL / Brasil🚩🚩 (@Sgt_URSAL) December 1, 2019

​DiCaprio has recently released a statement in which he denied funding organisations that Bolsonaro has accused of arson, although he admitted that the groups “are certainly worth supporting”. Many found the actor's statements about Brazilians working to save their natural and cultural heritage bizarre.

Their cultural heritage?

Is that another way of saying you think Brazilians should be living in jungles? pic.twitter.com/lALzZA22hc

— Paul M Winters (@RealPaulWinters) December 1, 2019

​The increased rate of fires in the Amazon rainforest, which started this August, has caused international concern and criticism of the Bolsonaro government's poor environmental record. The leader called the accusations an information war against his country; however, he later dispatched 44,000 troops and allocated funds to fight the fires. It is estimated that almost a million hectares have been lost to fires in 2019.