Bahia Governor Accepts Argentine Aid Rejected By Bolsonaro

On Thursday, Bahia Governor Rui Costa announced that he will accept Argentina's humanitarian aid in order to respond to the emergency caused by the rains and floods.

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In a message posted on social networks, he stressed that his subnational government will accept assistance from any country regardless of what federal diplomacy does or says.

Since the beginning of December, the Brazilian northeast has been experiencing heavy rains that have killed at least 24 people, flooding dozens of cities, and forcing nearly 100,000 people to flee their homes. This week, Argentina's government offered to send humanitarian aid, but President Jair Bolsonaro rejected such an offer.

The far-right politician justified his decision by arguing that the Argentine offer came after the Brazilian Armed Forces and Civil Defense were already providing assistance to the population. "For that reason, it was assessed that Argentine aid would not be necessary at the moment," he said.

The tweet reads, "Everyone talks about the Bahia tragedy but few talk about the disaster in the Indigenous villages in southern Bahia. Do you wonder what the real situation of the villages is? What is the humanitarian aid logistics for them?"

While thousands of people are being affected by the floods in the Brazilian northeast, however, social networks continue to post messages about the carefree attitude of Bolsonaro, who decided he will not interrupt his vacation on the beaches of Santa Catarina.

During this week, former Capitan Bolsonaro has been shown riding a jet ski, similar to those used by first responders in Bahia. His images helped fuel the outrage of Brazilians who are protesting his "indifference" in the face of the humanitarian emergency.

"It is unfortunate to see a President who does not help to reject help from others," said Workers' Party leader Lula da Silva, who is the favorite for the 2022 presidential elections.