German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has come under renewed pressure to apologise for comments he made about Belém, the host city of the UN Climate Conference in Brazil.
In a letter addressed to the chancellor, Lisa Badum, a German Green Party lawmaker attending the conference, expressed deep regret over Merz’s remarks. She said she had repeatedly apologised to locals, adding that the chancellor’s comments did not reflect the Germany she aims to represent.
Merz had travelled to Belém two weeks earlier for a preparatory summit ahead of the global climate talks. After returning to Berlin, he told journalists that none of the reporters accompanying him wanted to remain in the city. “No one raised their hand,” he said, adding that they were all pleased to return to Germany, which he called “one of the most beautiful countries in the world.”
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The comments sparked outrage across Brazil, including a sharp response from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who said Merz should have visited a local bar, danced, and sampled the regional cuisine.
“Then he would have realized that Berlin does not even offer him 10 per cent of the quality that Pará and the city of Belém provide,” Lula said.
Badum, who also serves as the Green Party’s climate policy spokeswoman, urged Merz to apologise to President Lula and the people of Belém. She stressed that the climate crisis required global cooperation and respect not dismissive or arrogant remarks and encouraged the chancellor to work collaboratively with Brazil to ensure a successful conference.
