Brazil tribal chief Raoni slams Jair Bolsonaro over Amazon fires

Brazil's legendary indigeus chief Raoni on Friday accused President Jair Bolsonaro of wanting to destroy Amazon rainforest and called for international help to put out Amazon fire raging in region.

elderly Kayapo chief, internationally recognizable through his tritional lip plate and fear hedress, called for Jair Bolsonaro's removal from power, as a global outcry over blazes ignites protests around world.

"He wants to finish with forest, with us. It's really terrible what he does," Raoni Metuktire told AFP by telephone from Germany, accusing Jair Bolsonaro of emboldening farmers, loggers and miners.

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"We have to get him out soon." Brazil tribal chief Raoni said.

Brazil tribal chief Raoni, who is famous for his work campaigning in defence of Brazil's rainforest alongside personalities like pop star Sting, pleed for international help to extinguish fires. latest official figures show 76,720 forest fires were recorded in Brazil so far this year, highest number for any year since 2013 which experts blame on accelerating deforestation as land is cleared during months-long dry season to make way for crops or grazing. More than half are in Amazon. Around 700 new fires were ignited between Wednesday and Thursday, according to National Institute for Research.

"We cant let it burn like that," Brazil tribal chief Raoni said. "What is happening is extremely dangerous." Raoni said he would soon return to Brazil and mobilize to end "attacks on environment."

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"When I see se fires I feel very s," he said, warning it could get worse if action is taken to preserve Amazon.

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His remarks come as Bolsonaro authorized deployment of armed forces to help put out fires, amid growing European criticism as well as offers of assistance from US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Several thousand protesters took to streets in Brazil to express ir outr over destruction, after demonstrations in Europe.