"RIO DE JANEIRO — Dozens of Brazilian corporations are calling for a crackdown on illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest, expressing their concerns in a letter Tuesday to the vice president, who heads the government’s council on that region.

The letter to Gen. Hamilton Mourão said the country’s business interests are being hurt by the “negative perception of Brazil’s image abroad in relation to socio-environmental issues in the Amazon.” It urged that immediate actions be taken to allay the negative reactions of foreign investors and consumers.

The letter was signed by the Brazilian mining giant Vale, the Ambev brewing company, Itaú bank and dozens of other companies. It was also sent to Brazil’s prosecutor general and the heads of the Supreme Court and both houses of Congress."

Marcelo De Sousa reports for the Associated Press July 7, 2020. [2]