Deforestation in the Amazon increased in June, by almost 601% compared to the same period in 2018. Figures from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) show that the total for the first half of 2019 also surpasses last year's figures. According to INPE data, the forest lost 762.3 km² of native vegetation in June, equivalent to twice the area of Belo Horizonte. .
According to Carlos Rittl, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, the situation shows that the official discourse of "fighting the fines industry" and opposing the legal destruction of deforestation equipment ends up favoring deforestation.
