Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused the American actor Leonardo DiCaprio of financing various NGOs to cause fires in the Amazon. The unusual situation became meat for memes in social networks.
“Leonardo DiCaprio is a legal guy, isn’t he? Paying money to set the Amazon on fire,” Bolsonaro told a group of supporters.
In addition to many criticisms, the statement yielded a wave of memes and put the name of the actor among the most trending on Brazilian Twitter. Most users used scenes from DiCaprio’s movies as “evidence” that the artist is involved in the fires in the rainforest.
Images of the actor with a powerful flamethrower, taken from the most recent film starring DiCaprio, became the perfect material for jokes.
“Leonardo DiCaprio right now in the Amazon”
Leonardo DiCaprio neste momento na Amazônia pic.twitter.com/kXDPeoahkk
— PREMIERE LINE (@PremierelineBr) November 30, 2019
“DiCaprio sets on fire the Amazon”
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DiCaprio taca fogo na Amazônia #queimadas pic.twitter.com/gB560xH171
— Tom Bike (@tom_bike) November 29, 2019
“Photo of DiCaprio burning the Amazon, by Bolsonaro”
FOTO DO DICAPRIO INCENDIANDO A AMAZONIA , POR BOLSONARO. pic.twitter.com/oM3uduq11G
— Bruno (@_BrunoMartinez) November 29, 2019
It turns out that throughout his artistic career, DiCaprio starred in many scenes with fire. Internet users seem to have found each one of them just to make fun of Bolsonaro and illustrate the “exact moment” when the actor set fire to the Brazilian jungle.
“The moment Bolsonaro caught Leonardo DiCaprio setting the Amazon on fire”
Momento que Bolsonaro flagrou Leonardo DiCaprio tacando fogo na Amazônia. pic.twitter.com/5PIcusarxc
— Leandro Andrade (@fessorbarbudo) November 29, 2019
“See the exact moment when DiCaprio creates the first focus of fire in the Amazon”
VEJAM O EXATO MOMENTO QUE DICAPRIO FAZ O PRIMEIRO FOCO DE QUEIMADA NA AMAZÔNIA pic.twitter.com/aA84NX8gVa
— Rinito Alérgico🍺 (@jolisjr) November 29, 2019
“Here is the photo of the exact moment when Leonardo DiCaprio lights a match to burn the Amazon! I will never see his films again.”
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VEJAM O EXATO MOMENTO QUE DICAPRIO FAZ O PRIMEIRO FOCO DE QUEIMADA NA AMAZÔNIA pic.twitter.com/aA84NX8gVa
— Rinito Alérgico🍺 (@jolisjr) November 29, 2019
“Unpublished photos show Leonardo DiCaprio setting the Amazon on fire”.
Fotos inéditas mostram Leonardo Di Caprio incendiando a Amazônia pic.twitter.com/xFxocyuPHa
— Regina da Costa e Silva (@RegCostaeSilva) November 29, 2019
“Let me go and set the whole forest on fire.”
“Deixa eu ir lá tacar fogo nos mato tudo” – DiCaprio, Leonardo pic.twitter.com/gfQ1FORzLr
— Carol Lula Barros (@calulabarros) November 30, 2019
Bolsonaro’s statement even inspired conspiracy theories.
“Sometimes we talk without knowing. Bolsonaro said Leonardo DiCaprio helped ‘set fire to the Amazon. Does it sound ABSURD? Yes. But with a quick Google search, we see that there is a lighter with DiCaprio’s face and it is sold Where? Exactly, on AMAZON. Coincidence?” Tweeted @ Mario_Junior_29
As vezes a gente fala sem saber
O Bolsonaro afirmou que o Leonardo DiCaprio ajudou a ‘tacar fogo’ AmazôniaParece ABSURDO? Sim
Mas com uma rápida pesquisa no google vemos que existe um isqueiro SIM com a cara do DiCaprio e que é vendido onde? Exatamente na AMAZON. Coincidência? https://t.co/Z9w2A8xAKu pic.twitter.com/ok8RMfHXxY— Mário_Em defesa da DEMOCRACIA e do estado laico. (@Mario_Junior_29) November 29, 2019
“Guys, did you know that it was Leonardo DiCaprio who sank the Titanic? I have no proof, just my conviction,” wrote @FeCastanhari.
Galera, vocês sabiam que foi o Leonardo DiCaprio que afundou o Titanic?
Não tenho provas, apenas convicção.
— Felipe Castanhari (@FeCastanhari) November 29, 2019
Shortly after the statement of the Brazilian president, DiCaprio spoke on the matter through social networks. The American actor expressed his support for the groups that protect Brazil’s environment and denied the accusation that he would have paid any NGOs to cause fires in the Amazon.
Translated by JRE/EF