Brazil’s environment ministry said it will continue operations to curb deforestation and fires in the Amazon and other regions, reversing an earlier announcement that it would halt such operations starting Monday.
The decision was published on the ministry’s website late Friday after Vice President Hamilton Mourão said Environment Minister Ricardo Salles acted “hastily” when he said the government had run out of money for operations against deforestation.
The environment ministry had previously said the economy ministry had blocked over $11 million for environmental protection, a move that would have demobilized over 1,300 firefighters, hundreds of inspection agents, six helicopters and 10 planes.
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