Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday presented a new plan to combat illegal deforestation in the Amazon, one of his government's priorities since returning to power.

"Brazil, in particular thanks to the Amazon forest, has a great importance in the climatic balance of the planet (...) preventing the deforestation of the Amazon is also helping to reduce global warming," said declared Lula during a reception at the presidential palace in Brasilia.

This plan marks the return of the theme as a "priority, after four in indifference and abandonment", he added, on the occasion of World Environment Day.

The left-wing president, accompanied in particular by his Minister of the Environment Marina Silva, then referred to the mandate of the former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.