Overview
- At a German trade congress, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said none of the journalists traveling with him wanted to stay in Belém, prompting outrage in Brazil.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva countered by praising Pará’s culture and hospitality, quipping that Berlin offers less quality of life than Belém.
- Pará’s governor condemned the comment as biased, Belém’s mayor called it arrogant and prejudiced, and Rio’s mayor posted insults he later deleted.
- Berlin moved to contain the fallout as the Chancellery said Merz regretted not experiencing the Amazon’s natural beauty, while Greenpeace and Left party figures urged a formal apology.
- Brazilian media and social networks ridiculed the episode, and officials stressed Belém’s selection was meant to spotlight the Amazon’s climate and social realities despite logistical strains.