Open Letter to President Jair Messias Bolsonaro

To Mr. President Jair M. Bolsonaro,

It is a harmful practice to ascribe to others the responsibility for events for which you are actually responsible. The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned with the fallacious and very serious statement made by you on the 21th of August, implying without any evidence that non-governmental organizations could be responsible for the ongoing burning in the Amazon as way of denouncing your government internationally.

As the President of Brazil, your responsibilities include the conservation of an ecologically balanced environment, according to our Constitution.

This specific accusation is already an unacceptable outrage in itself - but what makes the situation even worse is that this is not an isolated case. You have frequently highlighted your will to eradicate all activism activity in Brazil, as well as declared, without any evidence, that NGOs in Brazil have illegitimate practices.

It is outrageous to see that institutions which dedicate themselves fully and selflessly to social causes are attacked and unfairly accused of being responsible for the harms that they actually work hard to exterminate. Unfortunately, doing this brave job in Brazil often brings a risk to the lives of those who work for a more just and humane country that respects its environment and its freedom.

NGOs should be considered government allies in many key agendas for building a prosperous, dignified and developed society. We therefore reinforce that if there is genuine aspiration and concrete action to defend the public interest and to tackle illegal practices, the government must respect, value and seek to collaborate with organized civil society. We are able and willing to join efforts to work for Brazil.

1. 342 Amazônia

2. 342 Artes

3. Advocacy Hub

4. Agenda Pública

5. Atados

6. Bancada Ativista

7. BrCidades

8. Casa Fluminense

9. CEDAPS

10. CENPEC

11. Cidade Escola Aprendiz

12. Delibera Brasil

13. Engajamundo

14. Frente Favela Brasil

15. Fundação Tide Setubal

16. Gestos-Soropositividade, Comunicação e Gênero

17. Gregaria (Argentina)

18. Habitat para a Humanidade Brasil

19. Hivos - Organização Humanista para Mudança Social

20. Imargem

21. Instituto Alana

22. Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor - Idec

23. Instituto Cidade Democrática

24. Instituto Construção

25. Instituto de Defesa do Direito de Defesa - IDDD

26. Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Baiano

27. Instituto de Governo Aberto

28. Instituto Ethos de Empresas e Responsabilidade Social

29. Instituto Luísa Mell de Proteção aos Animais e Meio Ambiente

30. Instituto Physis - Cultura & Ambiente

31. Instituto Socioambiental - ISA

32. Instituto Update

33. Instituto Vladimir Herzog

34. Mapa Educação

35. Move Social

36. Movimento Acredito

37. Movimento Boa Praça

38. O Instituto

39. Open Knowledge Brasil

40. Oxfam Brasil

41. Pacto Organizações Regenerativas

42. Política Viva

43. ponteAponte

44. Programa Cidades Sustentáveis

45. Rede Conhecimento Social

46. Rede Justiça Criminal

47. Rubens Naves Santos Jr Advogados

48. SOS Mata Atlântica

49. Szazi Bechara Storto Rosa Figueiredo Lopes Advogados

50. TETO Brasil

51. Transparência Brasil

52. Uneafro

53. Urbanismo Vivo (Argentina)

54. Vote Nelas

Pacto Pela Democracia is a civil society platform that coordinates the efforts of more than 120 NGOs and political actors from across the ideological spectrum, to strengthen the capacity of civil society to defend democratic processes and institutions, promote dialogue, tolerance, and the value of a democratic political culture in Brazil. You can reach us via email: contato@pactopelademocracia.org.br