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SAO PAULO -- Being falsely accused of mounting occurrence successful the Amazon with funds from an Oscar-winning histrion yet became a blessing successful disguise for Caetano Scannavino, the laminitis of a nonprofit enactment successful the bosom of the rainforest.
Brazil's past President Jair Bolsonaro falsely claimed successful November 2019 that histrion Leonardo DiCaprio had funded nonprofit groups that helium alleged were partially liable for mounting the fires. The accusation, though false, created risks for Scannavino and his enactment promoting sustainable improvement and citizens' rights successful a portion on the Tapajos River fashionable with tourists for its blend of rainforest and beaches.
Four of Scannavino's friends who volunteered arsenic wood firefighters were jailed for 2 days and past prosecuted arsenic alleged perpetrators of fires successful the region, lone to beryllium cleared later. Police scrolled done documents of Scannavino’s Saúde e Alegria nonprofit for weeks. Scannavino received anonymous threats, and his car was acceptable connected fire.
But Bolsonaro's comments helped DiCaprio instrumentality announcement of Scannavino's enactment and determine to sponsor his enactment done Re:wild, a nonprofit conservation radical that the histrion helped found. Their concern has already lasted 5 years, the Brazilian activistic said.
“When the accusations emerged, DiCaprio came retired to accidental helium was not backing us, but added we deserved his enactment aft helium saw our work,” Scannavino told The Associated Press successful a telephone interview. “I've ne'er been with him oregon spoken to him. But helium gives america support, uses his societal media to amusement what this concern does.”
The 59-year-old Scannavino founded Saude e Alegria, oregon Health and Happiness, successful 1987 to beforehand integrated and sustainable assemblage improvement successful Para state, whose superior Belem volition host the United Nations' Conference of the Parties, oregon COP30, adjacent week. Scannavino arrived successful Belem connected Tuesday from Santarem, the metropolis wherever the inaugural is based, aft a two-day vessel thrust that featured broadcasts with journalists, activists and clime experts.
The task started arsenic a wellness attraction initiative, but it has since grown to enactment with agrarian communities to amended their prime of beingness and workout of citizenship.
One task sponsored by DiCaprio's institute is the Forest Economy EcoCenter successful Santarem, which serves arsenic a hub for processing, retention and commercialization of products made by locals. Organizers said the installation enhances the economical viability of sustainable practices successful the region.
The hub was opened a twelvemonth ago, and is besides supported by the governments of Brazil, Germany and Norway, each contributors of the Amazon Fund, a Brazilian inaugural that pays for anti-deforestation and sustainable improvement efforts.
Scannavino said that the inaugural outgo astir 5 cardinal Brazilian reais ($938,000), mostly paid for by the Amazon Fund.
“Those archetypal fewer days aft Bolsonaro's accusation were terrible. People insulted america and our families connected the streets, the firefighters had to leave. But past a astonishing happening happened,” Scannavino said.
“Usually radical get distant from you if specified a large people appears connected your back. It was the other with us. Eventually the accusations went away, the firefighters were released, and radical were funny astir america — including DiCaprio,” helium added.
In an Instagram station this week, DiCaprio said the satellite leaders gathering successful Brazil indispensable guarantee that those defending quality person the resources they need. He said Re:wild is pledging much wealth to protecting forests.
“I impulse leaders to unite and conscionable the moment,” helium said. “Our aboriginal depends connected it.”
The AP emailed Re:wild seeking further remark connected its enactment with Scannavino and astatine COP30.
Scannavino, who near the Brazilian metropolis Sao Paulo for the Amazon much than 37 years ago, said that DiCaprio and different backers of his nonprofit besides came successful enactment due to the fact that helium chose to amusement Bolsonaro helium was moving with the enactment of section constabulary and equipped forces alternatively of trying to people governmental points.
The erstwhile president was precocious sentenced to 27 years successful prison for a coup effort successful 2023 aft losing his reelection bid.
“Our critics are specialists successful hatred, and since that incidental we chose to beryllium polite, supply grounds we worked with each stakeholders, everyone who mattered successful the region. We refused to permission our section communities without owed wellness attraction assistance conscionable due to the fact that of an absurd accusation,” Scannavino said.
Many awards and acknowledgments later, Scannavino is expected to conscionable with Re:wild officials and possibly DiCaprio himself astatine COP30.
Scannavino said that helium astir met DiCaprio astir 20 years agone portion mounting up for a photograph accumulation successful New York. He said that the squad preparing the photograph accumulation didn't admit the histrion nether a headdress and complained that helium was getting successful the way, truthful helium left.
“Shortly aboriginal our shaper raced to archer maine that was Leonardo DiCaprio," Scannavino said. "I told her to tally aft him and get him back. She caught him connected his motorcycle a fewer blocks away. He thanked her, but had to leave.
"I anticipation that the adjacent brushwood is simply a precise antithetic one, truthful we tin convey him duly,” helium added.
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