Brazil's tourism ambassador has threatened to choke Emmanuel Macron and called his wife Brigitte a 'dragon' in an explosive video posted online.

Renzo Gracie posted footage to Twitter amid rising tensions between the Brazilian and French governments following Macron's criticism of Brazil's reaction to the devastating wildfires in the Amazon rainforest.

In the clip, Gracie, 52, says Macron is a 'clown' who is 'talking rubbish' before making threats of violence.

'The only fire going on is the fire inside Brazilian hearts and our president's heart, you clown' he says.

Renzo Gracie posted a video to Twitter amid rising tensions between the Brazilian and French governments following Macron's criticism of Brazil's reaction to the devastating wildfires in the Amazon rainforest. In the clip, Gracie, 52, says Macron is a 'clown' who is 'talking rubbish' before making threats of violence

Macron was called a 'clown' who is 'talking rubbish' in the bizarre attack from the former MMA fighter

'Come over here you'll be caught by the neck, that chicken neck. You don't fool me' the former MMA fighter said.

Gracie was appointed to public office last month by Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right president.

Since taking office he's been criticised for homophobic comments and making slurs toward the French First Lady.

Speaking to Brazilian news outlet UOL, he said tourism was on the decline in the country due to a 'gang of clowns' making reports of 'false fires' when there's little evidence of the rainforest burning at higher than usual levels.

'This gang of clowns only open their mouths to speak ill of our country,' Gracie said.

'Of course a bunch of people will be surprised, they'll think I called him chicken because I was questioning his manhood, but I've seen plenty of gay men who are more manly than this imbecile.'

Bolsonaro endorsed a sexist Facebook post about France's 66-year-old first lady Brigitte Macron (pictured) last week, in an escalating war of words between him and his French counterpart

The outburst came a week after Macron condemned Gracie's boss Bolsonaro (pictured) for 'extraordinarily disrespectful comments' about his wife

'Come over here you'll be caught by the neck, that chicken neck. You don't fool me' the former MMA fighter said. Gracie was appointed to public office last month by Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's far-right president

The outburst came a week after Macron condemned Gracie's boss Bolsonaro for 'extraordinarily disrespectful comments' about his wife.

Bolsonaro endorsed a sexist Facebook post about France's 66-year-old first lady Brigitte Macron last week, in an escalating war of words between him and his French counterpart.

President Macron, 41, had called for emergency talks by G7 nations on the fires destroying chunks of the Amazon rainforest, piling pressure on Bolsonaro, who in turn accused him of having a 'colonialist mentality'.

A Bolsonaro supporter posted a meme mocking the appearance of Mrs Macron and compared her unfavourably with Brazil's 37-year-old first lady Michelle Bolsonaro.

A Bolsonaro supporter posted this meme mocking Brigitte Macron and comparing her unfavourably with Brazil's first lady 37-year-old Michelle Bolsonaro. It says: 'Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?' The far-right Brazilian leader replied: 'Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha,' referring to Mr Macron

'This gang of clowns only open their mouths to speak ill of our country,' Gracie said. 'Of course a bunch of people will be surprised, they'll think I called him chicken because I was questioning his manhood, but I've seen plenty of gay men who are more manly than this imbecile.'

It had the tagline: 'Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?'

The right wing Brazilian leader, 64, replied: 'Do not humiliate the guy, ha ha,' referring to Mr Macron.

When asked about the post at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France, Macron said that 'Brazilian women are probably feeling ashamed of their president.'

The dispute comes as Macron announced the G7 counties would release 20 million euros ($22m) to help fight the raging fires in the Amazon.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro (pictured second left with his wife Michelle Bolsonaro far left and Argentina's President Mauricio Macri and his wife Juliana Awada) has been facing pressure from Macron over the fires in the Amazon

When asked about the derogatory comments, Gracie doubled down on the insult, calling Brigitte Macron 'a dragon'.

'I'll ask you a question, is his wife beautiful or ugly? Would you take it? If you're going to talk rubbish about our country, you better be ready to listen to some rubbish back, and about your relatives. The fact he sleeps with a dragon doesn't make him a fire expert. She's ugly, brother,' he said.

Bolsonaro has said Europe has 'nothing to teach' Brazil about preserving the environment as the country aligns itself with the United States over fires raging in the Amazon rainforest.

However, the far-right government has found an ally in the United States where President Donald Trump praised Bolsonaro's handling of the crisis and offered US assistance.