Which is why I said I would do it "if" it brought us prosperity. I didn't say I'd do it lightly. The point I tried to express was my willingness to sacrifice it. If I could push a button to replace the entire area of the Amazon with high tech industry, I would do it without thinking twice.

Western countries have been telling us what to do with this jungle for many decades now. Even as a kid I used to hear of US presidents talking about how the Amazon "belongs to the world". I find that to be extremely offensive and disrespectful towards our sovereignty.