BRASILIA, Brazil _ President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said that Brazil could not afford to meet some of the requirements in the Paris Accord, and that unless they were changed he would withdraw from the agreement.
Speaking on Facebook Live on Wednesday evening, Bolsonaro added that he would never take any actions that would undermine Brazilian sovereignty. The president-elect also said that Brazil should take advantage of its natural mineral wealth, and that the country's indigenous population should be integrated into Brazilian society.
During his election campaign, Bolsonaro suggested that he would consider following U.S President Donald Trump's lead by exiting the Paris Accord. Since his victory, the president-elect had appeared to be willing to reconsider that position. Wednesday's comments, however, suggest his attitude to the agreement is hardening once more. In his 15-minute statement, Bolsonaro also criticized the U.N. migration pact, saying that Brazil could not open its doors to anyone who wished to come.
In response to recent media reports about unexplained cash transfers involving close family members, Bolsonaro said that neither he, nor his son Flavio, were under investigation. However, he added that all signs of wrongdoing needed to be examined.
