Citizens blames authority over Brazil museum inferno, says ‘lack of attention’

Day after Brazil’s National Museum in Rio de Janeiro suffered a massive fire, people voiced profound anger over the huge loss of the historically protected site and blamed the authorities of a ‘lack of attention’, said sources.

Similarly, Brazilian officials on Monday blamed years of government cutbacks, it said.

The museum’s destruction caused a social media outcry and demonstrators were gathered at the gates of the museum to form a human chain protesting against the budget cuts that they blame on the fire, said sources.

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“It’s not enough just to cry, it is necessary that the federal government, which has resources, helps the museum to reconstruct its history,” said museum director Alexandre Keller.

Roberto Antonio Gambine Moreira, the head of finance and planning at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro told AFP that the destruction as “a loss to the whole world.” “We are not going to put up with this strangulation of public resources anymore.”

 “This is a sign of the lack of investment, a lack of resources and the consequences that brings,” said Moreira.

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The museum’s collection included art and artifacts from Greco-Roman times and Egypt, as well as the oldest human fossil found within today’s Brazilian borders, known as “Luzia.”

“Luiza is a priceless loss for everyone interested in civilization,” said Paulo Knauss, director of Brazil’s natural history museum.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Michel Temer described an inferno that gutted the treasured National Museum as a ‘tragic loss of knowledge and heritage.’

The fire, the cause of which remains unknown, broke out late Sunday destroying one of country’s most important scientific collections.

(With inputs from agencies)