The thick petroleum&nbsp;sludge&nbsp;that has been mysteriously washing up on&nbsp;beaches&nbsp;in&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;for more than a month struck the popular tourist spot of Porto de Galinhas in Pernambuco state on October 19.

Normally known for its beautiful sand, palm trees and&nbsp;pristine&nbsp;tidal pools, the resort area was&nbsp;sullied&nbsp;by an&nbsp;oily&nbsp;sludge&nbsp;and locals scrambled to clean up the mess.

Reports of the oil spill emerged late last month.&nbsp;Brazil's environmental agency Ibama has reported that an analysis of a vast oil spill along the country's northeastern&nbsp;beaches&nbsp;showed the spilt crude did not originate in the country.

On October 09,&nbsp;Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the&nbsp;sludge&nbsp;was "very likely from Venezuela," citing a report by state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA.

The thick petroleum sludge that has been mysteriously washing up on beaches in Brazil for more than a month struck the popular tourist spot of Porto de Galinhas in Pernambuco state on October 19.

The thick petroleum sludge that has been mysteriously washing up on beaches in Brazil for more than a month struck the popular tourist spot of Porto de Galinhas in Pernambuco state on October 19. Normally known for its beautiful sand, palm trees and pristine tidal pools, the resort area was sullied by an oily sludge and locals scrambled to clean up the mess. Reports of the oil spill emerged late last month. Brazil's environmental agency Ibama has reported that an analysis of a vast oil spill along the country's northeastern beaches showed the spilt crude did not originate in the country. On October 09, Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the sludge was "very likely from Venezuela," citing a report by state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA.

Brazil beaches sullied by oily sludge

Brazil doesn't have the funding to hire more permanent environmental enforcement agents in the wake of surging Amazon fires but will contract local environmental police on a short-term basis, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles told Reuters on Friday.

The scheme will involve contracting state environmental police on their days off to assist federal government enforcement efforts, Salles said in an interview.

He said the ministry aims to have a deal in place with states to allow for such a scheme to begin before next year's peak deforestation and fire season, which generally starts in May or June.

Brazil's Amazon rainforest has recorded the highest number of fires this year since 2010, drawing an international outcry that the country is not doing enough to protect the world's largest rainforest.

President Jair Bolsonaro has said the country does not have the resources to police an area as vast as the Amazon, and the federal government is facing a severe budget shortfall as the economy recovers more slowly than expected.

The environment ministry is negotiating within the government to maintain its 2020 budget at the same level as 2019, Salles said in an interview. Funding to contract the agents will need to come from spending the ministry's resources more efficiently in other areas, he said.

"You have to be creative," Salles said.

Brazil doesn't have the funding to hire more permanent environmental enforcement agents in the wake of surging Amazon fires but will contract local environmental police on a short-term basis, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles told Reuters on Friday.

Brazil doesn't have the funding to hire more permanent environmental enforcement agents in the wake of surging Amazon fires but will contract local environmental police on a short-term basis, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles told Reuters on Friday. The scheme will involve contracting state environmental police on their days off to assist federal government enforcement efforts, Salles said in an interview. He said the ministry aims to have a deal in place with states to allow for such a scheme to begin before next year's peak deforestation and fire season, which generally starts in May or June. Brazil's Amazon rainforest has recorded the highest number of fires this year since 2010, drawing an international outcry that the country is not doing enough to protect the world's largest rainforest. President Jair Bolsonaro has said the country does not have the resources to police an area as vast as the Amazon, and the federal government is facing a severe budget shortfall as the economy recovers more slowly than expected. The environment ministry is negotiating within the government to maintain its 2020 budget at the same level as 2019, Salles said in an interview. Funding to contract the agents will need to come from spending the ministry's resources more efficiently in other areas, he said. "You have to be creative," Salles said.

Brazil to hire short-term environmental enforcers following Amazon fires

Protesters from indigenous communities and Greenpeace joined locals on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to call on Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to protect the Amazon rainforest. Chanting "Out Salles!" (Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles), the protesters also led a prayer for the Amazon. "We have a love for the Amazon, we have a love for planet Earth, we will not remain silent in face of this policy of indifference which puts profit above human dignity and above Mother Earth," said a protester holding a loudspeaker.

'It will affect the whole planet,' says protester in Rio march as Amazon fires rage on

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Brazil beaches sullied by oily sludge

Brazil to hire short-term environmental enforcers following Amazon fires

'It will affect the whole planet,' says protester in Rio march as Amazon fires rage on