Brazil's President Lula hails oil discovery near Amazon river - BBC News

Environmentalists have heavily criticised the exploratory drilling in the sea off the mouth of the Amazon.

Image source, @LulaOficial via EVNImage caption, Lula held up a vial containing oil found as part of the exploratory drilling

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has hailed the discovery of oil near the mouth of the Amazon river.

Speaking after the find was announced by Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras, he said it could be "a passport to the country's future".

His decision to allow exploratory drilling in the area known as the Brazilian Equatorial Margin was heavily criticised by environmentalists, who raised concerns that any potential oil spills could devastate its ecosystem.

Lula, who is running for another four-year term in elections scheduled for October, stressed that he was still committed to eventually phasing out fossil fuels to curb climate change.