Speaking yesterday during the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) conference in Brasília, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva strongly defended Brazil's production of biofuels. The President rejected the suggestion by Jean Ziegler, the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, that biofuel production is a 'crime against humanity', declaring that 'the real crime against humanity would be to discard biofuels out of hand, and to consign countries suffering from lack of food and energy to dependency and insecurity'.

The President also called on developing countries to discuss the production of alternative fuels and the issue of food security, and added that it must be 'a rational debate, without ideological bias', based on 'scientific evidence'.

Brazil President defends biofuels - BBC
Brazil rejects biofuels criticism - The Guardian

Source: Agência Brasil and Embassy of Brazil in London