December 11, 2019, 03:18 PM
Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old environmental activist, has found yet another critic.
This time its controversial Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, 64.
According to Bloomberg, Bolsonaro told reporters on Dec. 10, 2019 that Thunberg is a "brat".
It comes after Thunberg posted on Facebook about the killing of two Amazon indigenous leaders in a drive-by shooting.
Thunberg shared the following video on Dec. 9:
It was accompanied by a caption that read:"Indigenous people are literally being murdered for trying to protect the forest from illegal deforestation. Over and over again. It is shameful that the world remains silent about this."
Screengrab from Greta Thunberg's Facebook page
Drive-by killings and indigenous tension in Brazil
According to The Guardian, the attack occurred in the Brazilian state of Maranhão and saw two members of the Guajajara tribe shot dead with another two wounded.
The Guajajara people are known for its forest guardians who protect the tribe's territory against illegal deforestation.
The Guardian reports that the presidency of Bolsonaro has coincided with escalating violence against indigenous tribes in Brazil.
Bolsonaro has promised to reduce tribal rights while also encouraging the commercial exploitation of their protected lands.
When questioned about the killings in Maranhão, Bolsonaro was quoted by Bloomberg as saying "it is staggering the amount of coverage the press gives that brat".
"Pirralha"
It seems like Thunberg has taken it in her stride.
She subsequently changed her Twitter biography to include the word "pirralha" — the Portuguese word for brat.
Screengrab from Greta Thunberg's Twitter page
According to Bloomberg, the president's spokesperson has also commented on the issue, saying that it was neither inappropriate nor discourteous for Bolsonaro to call Thunberg a "pirralha".
The spokesperson clarified that the term could be translated as "child, or person of short stature".
In any case, Thunberg has gotten the last laugh, with the whole incident bringing further global attention to the killings of the Guajajara leaders.
Top image from Jair Bolsonaro and Greta Thunberg's Facebook pages
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.