New Delhi, Nov. 20 -- Brazilian authorities on Tuesday railed against comments by Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in which he appeared to look down on Belem, a city on the edge of the Amazon rainforest where the United Nations' Climate Summit is taking place.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho, Belem Mayor Igor Normando, and several lawmakers have pushed back against Merz, who traveled to Brazil earlier in November to discuss climate measures with other leaders.

Upon his return to Germany, Merz said at a trade conference in Berlin that he was happy to leave the city. He said in his speech that his country's prosperous and free environment should be celebrated.

"We live in one of the most beautiful ...