Macron condemns ‘extraordinarily rude’ Bolsonaro insults

BIARRITZ, France: French President Emmanuel Macron condemned on Monday “extraordinarily rude” comments made about his wife Brigitte by his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro.

“He has made some extraordinarily rude comments about my wife,” Macron said at a press conference when asked to react to statements about him by the Brazilian government.

“What can I say? It’s sad. It’s sad for him firstly, and for Brazilians,” he added.

The exchange is the latest chapter in an escalating war of words between two leaders over the Amazon crisis.

Emmanuel Macron had called for emergency talks by G7 nations on the fires destroying chunks of the Amazon rainforest, piling pressure on Bolsonaro, who in turn accused him of having a ‘colonialist mentality’.

On Sunday, a Bolsonaro supporter posted a message on Facebook mocking the appearance of Brigitte Macron and comparing her unfavourably with Brazil’s first lady Michelle Bolsonaro.

“Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?” he wrote next to an unflattering picture of Brigitte Macron, 65, who is 28 years older than Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle.

Bolsonaro replied on Facebook: “Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha.”

“I think Brazilian women will probably be ashamed to read that from their president,” Macron said.

“I think that Brazilians, who are a great people, will probably be ashamed to see this behaviour...

“And as I feel friendship and respect towards the Brazilian people, I hope that they will very soon have a president who behaves in the right way.”

The fires across the world’s largest rainforest, which experts have blamed on rampant deforestation, have triggered a global outcry

— with European nations leading the charge against Bolsonaro, who has made no secret of his skepticism about climate change.

Ties between Brazil and France have plunged since Bolsonaro’s election. Last month the Brazilian leader snubbed France’s top diplomat by cancelling their meeting and getting a haircut instead, which he broadcast live on Facebook. — AFP

— AFP photo Brigitte (right) holds a basket full of Espelette peppers during a visit with spouses of the leader of G7, on traditional Basque culture in Espelette, near Biarritz as part of the G7 summit.