After Vetoing Bolsonaro, UN Calls for Governor of Pernambuco to Speak at Climate Summit

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Governor Paulo Câmara, member of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), will be one of the speakers at the Climate Summit, to be held this month from September 23rd to 29th, in New York. He was invited by the United Nations (UN) and will be in charge of representing the Northeast.

The socialist, who was already on the UN guest list to speak for Pernambuco, had his name endorsed by the other northeastern governors in a letter signed last Monday, September 16th, during the meeting of the Northeast Consortium, in Natal (RN). According to officials, the region stands out due to the work carried out by state governments in defense of the environment.

Paulo Câmara was invited by the UN because of the work carried out in the state in rehabilitating and expanding the savanna reserve and the Atlantic Forest, located in the area near the Horto de Dois Irmãos, among other environmental projects. The governor is leaving for New York next Sunday, returning on Friday.

His speech will be held on September 23rd, the meeting’s first day. Among the topics to be addressed by the socialist are climate change, sustainable development and the stimulation of clean energy production.

The visit of the governor of Pernambuco is in contrast with the situation faced by the federal government. The UN vetoed Brazil from speaking at the event, under the allegation that the country has not submitted a plan to increase its commitment to climate.

The request had been made to all nations and, based on the documents submitted, the “most inspiring” speeches would be chosen.

Brazil’s image abroad has led foreign officials to strongly discuss the management of Jair Bolsonaro.

Last Wednesday, according to behind-the-scenes reports, the German Vice-Minister of Economy and Energy, Thomas Bareiss criticized the statements that President Jair Bolsonaro usually posts on social media, during a meeting with Governor Paulo Câmara, at the Palácio do Campo das Princesas.

On Twitter, the socialist commented on the meeting, saying that he had spoken to the German minister about the shared priorities, such as environmental protection and sustainable development.

“Contrary to what, unfortunately, we see in Brazil, here in Pernambuco we invest in cooperation in order to progress together. May the future hold much cooperation and partnership for us”, he posted.

The relationship between Jair Bolsonaro and the Northeastern States is anything but good.

During the last year’s presidential elections, Bolsonaro only received 30.3 percent of the votes from the Northeast, leading some to believe this is retaliation. The northeast was the only region of the country where Bolsonaro lost the elections to Fernando Haddad from the Worker’s Party (PT).

The tension between the government of President Jair Bolsonaro and the governors of nine Northeastern Brazilian states continues high.

In the past few weeks, President Bolsonaro has demeaned people from those states and his administration has withheld investments from the region in retaliation for not voting for him during the 2018 elections.