A televised raid on illegal mining in the Amazon rainforest prompted Brazil's environment minister, Ricardo Salles, to fire Olivaldi Azevedo, the country's top environmental enforcement officer, Reuters reported April 15, citing a government notice.

A news program that aired April 12 featured agents from Brazil's federal environment agency, Ibaho, raiding illegal miners inside indigenous reservations, according to the report.

The program interviewed a man who illegally claimed land in the area who said he expected the government to later legalize his ownership, Reuters added. It also showed images of agents burning mining equipment, a practice the country's president has denounced.

The minister's decision was a direct response to the broadcast, which was deemed to be critical of the government, the newswire said, citing four people familiar with the matter.

One of the sources said four other officers of the enforcement unit who report to Azevedo are expected to be dismissed or resign.

Reuters said tensions between Salles and Azevedo began in 2019 when the latter refused staffing changes on the enforcement team.

Salles, Azevedo and Ibama declined to comment on the issue, the report said. A ministry representative confirmed Azevedo's dismissal but did not provide further comment.