Leonardo DiCaprio blamed for Amazon fires by Brazil President

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has blamed Hollywood's Oscar-winning superstar Leonardo DiCaprio for the devastating forest fires in the Amazon.

DiCaprio has been accused of funding non-profit groups, which Bolsonaro feels were responsible for fires in the Amazon rainforest, reports mirror.co.uk.

The President, however, did not back his claim with any evidence.

"DiCaprio is a cool guy, isn't he? Giving money to set the Amazon on fire," President Bolsonaro said, while speaking to supporters in Brasilia.

He made a similar claim in a Facebook live broadcast.

"Leonardo DiCaprio, dammit, you're collaborating with the burning of the Amazon," Bolsonaro accused, claiming that the actor is part of an international campaign against Brazil.

DiCaprio's environmental organisation Earth Alliance has pledged $5 million to help protect the Amazon after a surge in fires destroyed large parts of the rainforest in July and August.

The actor-environmentalist said in a statement his group had not funded any of the two nonprofits named by the investigators so far.

"While worthy of support, we did not fund the organisations targeted," the statement read.

Tags: Cinema, Showbiz, Hollywood, Environment, Wildlife