Leonardo DiCaprio Accused Of Spreading Misinformation; Brazilian President Calls Him Out On Tweet About Forest Fires

Leonardo DiCaprio who has always been quite an outspoken advocate for environmental issues has been accused of spreading misinformation by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The president has called him out for posting a much older photo in his tweet about forest fires that ravaged the Amazon rainforest in 2019.

Twitter

This happened after DiCaprio urged the people of Brazil to register to vote in the forthcoming elections in October. "Brazil is home to the Amazon and other ecosystems critical to climate change. What happens there matters to us all and youth voting is key in driving change for a healthy planet," he wrote.

Brazil is home to the Amazon and other ecosystems critical to climate change.
What happens there matters to us all and youth voting is key in driving change for a healthy planet. For more on voter registration in Brazil before May 4, visit https://t.co/0mKrfxLdRR #tiraotitulohoje

¡ª Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) April 28, 2022

If you didn't know, several environmentalists have accused President Bolsonaro of allowing deforestation in Brazil to accelerate since he allegedly weakened legal protections for the Amazon rainforest after taking the charge in 2019. Bolsonaro had earlier said that called Amazon rainforest is seen as the lungs of the Earth as a "misconception".

As Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro responded to Leonardo DiCaprio's tweet, he wrote, "Thanks for your support, Leo! It's really important to have every Brazilian voting in the coming elections. Our people will decide if they want to keep our sovereignty on the Amazon or to be ruled by crooks who serve foreign special interest. Good job in The Revenant".

- Thanks for your support, Leo! It's really important to have every Brazilian voting in the coming elections. Our people will decide if they want to keep our sovereignty on the Amazon or to be ruled by crooks who serve foreign special interest. Good job in The Revenant! ? https://t.co/kg3b6rmPCw

¡ª Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) April 29, 2022

In another tweet, he called out DiCaprio for apparently sharing misinformation on Instagram. "By the way, the picture you posted to talk about the wildfires in the Amazon in 2019 is from 2003. There are people who want to arrest Brazilian citizens who make this kind of mistake here in our country. But I'm against this tyrannical idea. So I forgive you. Hugs from Brazil!".

- By the way, the picture you posted to talk about the wildfires in the Amazon in 2019 is from 2003. There are people who want to arrest Brazilian citizens who make this kind of mistake here in our country. But I'm against this tyrannical idea. So I forgive you. Hugs from Brazil! pic.twitter.com/pSJBOjVSB7

¡ª Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) April 29, 2022

Back in 2019, Bolsonaro had even claimed that DiCaprio had funded fires being set in the Amazon rainforest.

He didn't however had any evidence to back his claim. "DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn't he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire," President Bolsonaro had said, while speaking to supporters in Brasilia.

He had made a similar claim in a Facebook live broadcast. "Leonardo DiCaprio, dammit, you're collaborating with the burning of the Amazon," Bolsonaro accused, claiming that the actor is part of an international campaign against Brazil.

Agencies

Responding to the same, DiCaprio had then said on his Instagram page, "At this time of crisis for the Amazon, I support the people of Brazil working to save their natural and cultural heritage. They are an amazing, moving and humbling example of the commitment and passion needed to save the environment."

"The future of these irreplaceable ecosystems is at stake and I am proud to stand with the groups protecting them. While worthy of support, we did not fund the organizations targeted," he added.

(For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.)