Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolsonaro sparked outrage when he said Brazil should not be “the country of gay tourism”.

“Anyone who wants to come here to have sex with a woman, feel free,” Mr Bolsonaro told national reporters in Brasilia on Thursday morning, O Antagonista reported.

“But we can’t let this place become known as a gay tourism paradise,” he added. “Brazil can’t be a country of the gay world, of gay tourism. We have families.”

His statements caused immediate reactions by LGBT+ rights activists and opposition politicians.

Jean Wyllys, an openly gay politician who fled in exile in January after receiving death threats, called the statements an “unhappy declaration” against the LGBT+ community, in a video posted on Twitter.

“[Bolsonaro] is in line with far-right populist governments emerging across the world, who use gender issues to stir up hate against minorities in society.”

Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Show all 20 1 /20 Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Indigenous Macuxi children play at the community of Maturuca on the Raposa Serra do Sol reservation, Roraima state, Brazil Photos Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat The Macuxi fear the return of farmers, illegal gold miners and poachers, all of whom are emboldened by President Jair Bolsonaro’s rhetoric and his moves to weaken their rights Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat A child from an indigenous tribe eats a watermelon Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Children play in Uailan river in Romaira state Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Chief Aldenir Lima, the leader of the 70 communities on the Raposa Serra do Sol reservation next to a monument honouring the tribes and their struggle to secure land rights Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Sideneia Francisco de Lima, 15, looks out of her house on the reservation Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Indigenous Macuxi children dance in a ceremony for indigenous leaders Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Macuxi people play football on the reservation Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat ‘I want to ask the new president Jair Bolsonaro to respect indigenous people and our constitutional rights,’ says community leader Tereza Pereira de Souza, her hair crowned with a headdress of yellow feathers. ‘It took us 30 years to get our land borders legally recognised and registered’ Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat The night sky above the reservation. Brazil’s 900,000 indigenous people make up less than 1 per cent of the population and live on reservations that account for 13 per cent of the territory Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Macuxi leader Orlando Pereirana da Silva, 73, weighs cattle meat at the community of Uailan Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat A Macuxi cowboy stands on a rock Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Bolsonaro says they live in abject poverty and hunger and should be assimilated instead of being confined to reservations like ‘zoo animals’ Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Any attempt to change the reservation’s legal status would likely be opposed by the Supreme Court on the grounds that Brazil’s 1988 Constitution protects indigenous land rights Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat A teacher writes on a board at an indigenous cultural centre Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Anthropologists warn that removing protections would destroy the traditions and languages of the Macuxi and four other related tribes on the reservation Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat ‘Nature is our life, our blood and our spirit, because it gives us sustenance,’ says Martinho de Souza, a Macuxi shaman. ‘We were born on this land, we live here and we will die here.’ Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Nearby, in the shaman’s village of Tamanduá, chickens run about. The village is named after a type of anteater, a large mammal in danger of extinction Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat A Macuxi woman takes a shower Reuters Brazilian tribal lands under new threat Macuxi leader Tuchaua Gilmario Pereira in a blue feather headdress Reuters

Maria Do Rosado, former secretary of state for human rights and a politician for Brazil’s left-leaning Workers’ Party (PT) said on Twitter: “Bolsonaro disrespects one more time Brazilian women claiming they are available for sexual tourism.

“Bolsonaro attacks one more time LGBTs. Bolsonaro offers Brazil as a brothel.”

She added on Facebook: “Brazil can and should be the country of diversity and of all families. What Brazil cannot do is be a homophobic, sexist, racist, militia, orange and Fake News country.”

In the past, Mr Bolsonaro notoriously attacked Ms Do Rosado, saying: “I would never rape you because you do not deserve it.”

“Another damage to the image of our country!” tweeted Carlos Tufvesson, an openly gay fashion designer who is well known for his activism in Brazil.

Even Paulo Coelho, the most famous contemporary Brazilian novelist, came out against the president.

“Brazilian women ARE NOT a commodity. Sex tourism is NOT a reason to visit Brazil,” he wrote on Twitter.

This is not the first of Mr Bolsonaro’s homophobic statements. In the past he bragged that he was “homophobic, and very proud”, and that he’d rather have a dead son than a homosexual son.

After Mr Bolsonaro assumed office this year, his government turned sharply against LGBT+ rights and feminism, supporting what they view as “traditional” family values instead.

“Girls wear pink, and boys wear blue,” Damares Alves, the evangelical pastor appointed minister of women and family, said on her first day in office.

“Girls will be princesses, and boys will be princes,” she added. “There will be no more ideological indoctrination of children and teenagers in Brazil.”

Mr Bolsonaro accumulated an impressive amount of controversial statements in his time as federal deputy for Rio de Janeiro. He has attacked minorities, including indigenous groups, Brazilians of colour and the LGBT+ community, and publicly referred to the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil between 1964 and 1985 as a “glorious” period.

His latest comments came as he addressed reporters about the decision of the American Museum of Natural History not to host an event in which Mr Bolsonaro was due to be honoured.