BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a decree to dispatch soldiers to the Amazon in a bid to curb surging deforestation, just two months after withdrawing troops from the region. The decree published in the country’s official gazette Monday says soldiers will go to the states of Para, Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rondonia for a period of two months. It didn’t provide details about the number of troops to be deployed nor the cost of the operation. Amazon deforestation has been ticking upwards for several years, but has surged since the 2018 election of Bolsonaro, who repeatedly has called for development of the rainforest.
