New York, May 16 (RHC)-- Protesters rallied outside the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City's Times Square, as the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce held a black-tie gala dinner honoring Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Bolsonaro was initially scheduled to attend the gala, but canceled those plans earlier this month after he came under heavy protest over his long history of homophobic, racist and misogynistic comments.

The awards gala was moved from the American Museum of Natural History after a campaign by environmentalists pointed to Bolsonaro’s efforts to open the Amazon to deforestation and mining, while violating the rights of indigenous peoples.

Natalia de Campos of the Defend Democracy in Brazil Committee told reporters: “We’re here in front of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square where an event will be held for the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year award, honoring Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil, and Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the U.S. 

The Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has clear deals with corporations that are buying off the assets of Brazil and also supporting intervention in Latin America, such as against Venezuela, or in Brazil itself, setting up bases — military bases of the U.S. there now. So Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is very much in favor of these policies.”