Call on Congress to take action on Brazil
Global Ministries is deeply concerned about the actions of Brazilian President Bolsonaro in his first year in office: massive attacks on human rights, espousing racist and homophobic rhetoric, leveling threats against indigenous and Afro-Brazilian communities, and overseeing one of the most heinous climate disasters humanity has ever witnessed.
The Reverend Mauro Mohnschimdt, Dean of the Congregational Theological Faculty and leader of the Congregational Church, a partner of Global Ministries in the country, said: “The church mourns the mismanagement of God’s wonderful creation and suffers from the consequences of such acts of true environmental vandalism.”
For his part, Reverend Angel Luis Rivera Agosto, Global Ministries Area Executive for Latin America and the Caribbean said, “the lands of the Amazon cannot be subject to the petty interests of extractive corporations as well as capitalist financial investment. If our indigenous brothers and sisters have taught us to preserve the creation of God, it is our duty to listen to the cry of the earth, which is also the cry of the poor in Brazil and in Latin America. It is our call to be good stewards of what God has given us as a legacy but also as a responsibility, by caring for the nature.
How you can take action.
Two different resolutions have been introduced in Congress – one in the House of Representatives and the other in the Senate.
The first:, H. Res. 594, was introduced by Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Deb Haaland (D-NM) and has 14 Democratic co-sponsors. This robust resolution, among its many objectives, aims to protect the Amazon from further deforestation, condemns Bolsonaro’s attacks on human rights and support for extrajudicial killings, rejects U.S. support for environmentally detrimental projects, and raises the threats indigenous leaders and environmental defenders continue to face.
Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Richard Shelby (R-AL) introduced S. Res. 337. It’s a bipartisan resolution with three co-sponsors calling for the Brazilian government’s immediate action to put out the fires that are still laying waste to the Amazon and to stop its illegal deforestation.
The Latin American Working Group (LAWG) says: “The political dilemma and environmental disaster being perpetrated by the Brazilian government is disheartening to say the least, but calling Congress to demand immediate action on these issues will help shift the tide in the right direction. We owe it to our Brazilian brothers and sisters to fight for a future where they can live freely and sustainably, so pick up the phone now.”
You can make a big difference by making three phone calls- one to your representative in Congress and one to each of your senators.
Here is a sample script recommended by LAWG:
Sample script:
“My name is _____, and I am a constituent from _____. I urge Representative _____ to co-sponsor H. Res. 594./I urge Senator _____ to co-sponsor S. Res. 337. So far, Bolsonaro’s term as president has been nothing short of catastrophic for the people of Brazil and the environment. Swift and strong action must be taken to demand Bolsonaro respect the sanctity of the Amazon, the integrity of democracy, the rights of Brazilian people, and the rule of law.”
Thank you for being an advocate and taking the time to call for the defense of human rights and the environment in Brazil!