Brazilian President Michel Temer this month signed legislation authorizing the sale of publicly owned rural lands occupied by private individuals or businesses—a measure critics say will fuel further land-grabs and deforestation. He also proposed a bill to downsize an Amazon national forest, weakening protection of the excised portion. The moves, highly criticized by environmental advocacy groups, scientists and others, represent an effort by Temer to cultivate support from the powerful, agribusiness-allied “ruralist” lobby in Congress at a particularly vulnerable time in his presidency. Not only does he need that bloc’s backing to overcome opposition to his conservative tax, pension and labor-reform agenda; he also needs its support to battle corruption charges. Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies—the lower house of Congress—was... [Log in to read more]