Brazilian President Zaich Bolsonaro announced on Thursday that he had rejected an offer from Argentina to send aid, saying his country did not need it, despite deadly floods that have wreaked havoc in its northeastern part.
His statement provoked the governor’s reaction to the state hit hardest by the floods, Bahia, which has said it welcomes any help from wherever it comes from, urging foreign governments to contact the state authorities directly.
At least 24 people have been killed and tens of thousands left homeless since record rains began hitting northeastern Brazil in November, with dams collapsing and rivers overflowing. Hui Costa, the governor of Bahia, speaks of the “worst disaster in the history” of his state and states that many areas look as if they have been “bombed”.
The head of state has meanwhile been criticized for continuing to vacation on the beaches of the southern state of Santa Catarina, thousands of miles away.
Mr Bolsonaru tweeted yesterday that the Argentine government had proposed sending a 10-member team to help set up temporary accommodation, offer psychological as well as material support to flood victims.
But he added that the offer was “too expensive for Brazil”, without explaining what it meant, while stressing that the Brazilian state is already offering services offered by Buenos Aires. He clarified that his government, on the other hand, accepted donations from Japan’s international aid organization and added that he could eventually accept Argentina’s help, if he deems it necessary.
“The Brazilian government is open to aid and donations from abroad,” he wrote.
The far-right government under President Bolsonaro has had cold relations with Argentina since the latter’s center-left Alberto Fernandez was elected president in 2019. The Brazilian president has previously called Mr Fernandez a “red gangster”.
Governor Costa, who belongs to the Brazilian center-left, reacted immediately, also emphasizing via Twitter that Bahia would gratefully accept the help of any country. “I appeal to all countries of the world: Bahia will receive any kind of direct assistance at this time, without having to go through Brazilian diplomats.”
The Argentine Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the statements made by the Brazilian president and governor of Bahia.
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