By Euronews
Published on
•Updated
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has triggered a diplomatic row with Brazil after making disparaging remarks about Belém, the host city of the COP30 climate summit he visited in early November.
Speaking at a trade conference in Berlin following his return, Merz suggested neither he nor any of his delegation wanted to remain in the Brazilian Amazon city, singling out accompanying journalists.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world,” Merz told the conference.
“Last week, I asked some of the journalists who were with me in Brazil: Which of you would like to stay here? No one raised their hands. They were all happy that, above all, we returned from this place to Germany in the night from Friday to Saturday.”
Careless remark?
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded sharply, suggesting Merz should have explored the city’s cultural offerings before making his assessment.
“He should have gone to a pub, he should have danced, he should have tried the food in the state of Para,” Lula said.
“Then he would have realised that Berlin doesn’t even offer him 10% of the quality that the state of Pará and the city of Belém do,” he added while praising its “unrivalled” hospitality.
Belém Mayor Igor Normando called the chancellor’s comments “unfortunate … arrogant and prejudiced,” while Pará state Governor Helder Barbalho suggested Merz “probably did not know what he was talking about.”
The comments prompted fierce online criticism. Users accused Merz of rudeness, racism and displaying white superiority, with some demanding an apology and others saying he was no longer welcome in Brazil.
Brazilian media outlets also condemned the remarks.
However, some voices defended Merz’s statement, pointing to challenging conditions in Belém including extreme heat, heavy rainfall and poverty. The critics questioned the decision to hold COP30 in the city, an issue that had drawn criticism before Merz’s comments.
Damage control
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, who led Germany’s COP30 delegation alongside State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth, attempted to contain the fallout by posting positive messages about Brazil on social media.
Schneider shared photos from a jungle visit and praised Brazilian hospitality. “Brazil is a wonderful country with friendly people and good hosts,” he wrote. “Too bad I can’t stay longer after the COP.”
The incident adds to a series of controversial public statements by Merz, including recent remarks about urban demographics that sparked heated debate in Germany.
Germany is a key donor to the Amazon Fund, a Brazilian government initiative to combat deforestation. Merz pledged on 7 November in Belem to make a “considerable” investment in the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, a project crafted by Lula’s administration that aims to support more than 70 developing countries that commit to preservation.
