Merz Sparks Outrage in Brazil After Dismissing COP30 Host Belém as "That Place"

German Chancellor's Remark Provokes Backlash in Brazil

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz drew swift criticism after he appeared to dismiss Belém — the Amazonian host city for COP30 — as "that place" following a short visit to Brazil. The hot, humid city in the state of Pará is accommodating tens of thousands of delegates for the UN climate talks, despite having limited infrastructure compared with many previous conference sites.

Returning to Berlin after a leaders' summit, Merz said he had asked journalists traveling with him whether any of them wanted to remain in Brazil. "No one raised their hand," he said. "Everyone was delighted to be back in Germany and to have left that place."

"We live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world... Everyone was delighted to be back in Germany and to have left that place." — Friedrich Merz

Local officials and many Brazilians on social media reacted angrily. Some mocked the comment by referencing Germany's 2014 World Cup defeat to Brazil — a notorious 7-1 loss — while political leaders called the remarks prejudiced.

Helder Barbalho, governor of Pará, condemned the comments on X, noting the irony that countries responsible for high emissions now express surprise at Amazonian heat. Belém Mayor Igor Normando said the chancellor's remarks reflected "arrogance and prejudice," adding that visitors on the ground were showing enthusiasm for the city.

A column by journalist Jamil Chade on UOL ran under the headline: "Merz, your xenophobia is the new Berlin Wall." On a Brazil-focused subreddit, one user from Pará said the quip still didn't sting as much as the 2014 football match.

After the controversy, a spokesperson for Merz issued a statement to AFP saying the chancellor "regretted that time constraints prevented him from better experiencing the impressive natural beauty of the Amazon region" and that he had great respect for Brazil's work in organizing an important international conference in Belém.

Meanwhile, Germany's environment minister, Carsten Schneider, struck a markedly different tone during a COP30 plenary, praising the "wonderful people of Brazil" and saying he had been "captivated by their warm hospitality."

Why it matters

The exchange highlights the diplomatic sensitivity around hosting major global events in locations that differ markedly from typical conference venues. It also underscores tensions between environmental politics, national pride and the optics of international leaders commenting on host communities during a major climate summit centered on the Amazon.