Bolsonaro warns Biden he will trigger a 'gunpowder' reaction if US imposes sanctions on Brazil over Amazon deforestation

• Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday warned Joe Biden as the president-elect that he will defend deforestation in the Amazon with "gunpowder" if Washington imposes economic sanctions on the country.
• Bolsonaro, a populist leader whose governing style has been likened to President Trump, referenced Biden's call for the Brazilian government to halt deforestation in the Amazon.
• He said that 'diplomacy is not enough' to respond to such threats, adding: 'When saliva runs out, one has to have gunpowder, otherwise it doesn't work.'
• Bolsonaro, who supported President Trump in the election, is yet to congratulate Biden for his election win.

Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday warned Joe Biden that he will respond to the US with "gunpowder" and not just "saliva" if Washington imposes economic sanctions on the country over deforestation in the Amazon.

The President-elect has previously warned Brazil that it will face "economic consequences" if it fails to tackle the issue.

However, Bolsonaro, one of the world leaders yet to congratulate Biden for his election win per AP News, warned the incoming president during a speech on Tuesday that Brazil would retaliate against the US.

"We saw recently there a great candidate to head of state say that if I don't put out the fire in the Amazon, he will put up commercial barriers against Brazil," said Bolsonaro, in comments that were reported by Reuters.

"And how can we deal with all that? Just diplomacy is not enough ... When saliva runs out, one has to have gunpowder, otherwise it doesn't work," he added, according to Reuters.

President-Elect Biden has made tackling climate change one of the incoming administration's central policies, and he pledged during a presidential debate in March to offer Brazil $20 billion to stop the rainforests of Brazil from "burning out."

Bolsonaro, however, tweeted in response that Brazil "no longer accepts bribes" and said any such money would be refused.

Bolsonaro has become known for using inflammatory and violent language and has a history of making offensive comments about women, gay people, and ethnic minorities.

The president's populist and authoritarian governing style seen him compared to President Trump.

Both leaders, who have frequently praised each other, have attacked journalists for promoting what they call "fake news" and sought to play down the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bolsonaro reaffirmed his support for Trump last week, saying "I hope he will be re-elected," per Reuters.

Before the election, he had also made clear that his opposition to Joe Biden's calls to halt deforestation in the Amazon. "The Democratic candidate on two occasions talked about the Amazon," Bolsonaro said on November 4, according to Reuters.

"Is that what you want for Brazil? Interference from outside?"

He appeared to distance himself from Trump after last week's election results, however, saying that he was "not the most important person in the world."