H.E. Luis Inacio Lula da Silva
President
Office of the President
Palacio do Planalto
Praca do Tres Poderes
10.150-900 Brasilia, DF
Federative Republic of Brazil
Fax: (011.55.61) 411.2222
Your Excellency:
This past year was in many ways a great one for Brazil — a booming economy and then the news that Rio de Janeiro will play host to the 2016 Olympics. Brazil is in a spotlight brighter than ever before, and with that new scrutiny has come heightened awareness of the frequent threats to our colleagues there.
Just in the month of December, we have become aware of the following:
- On December 15, an unidentified assailants shot and killed Brazilian radio host José Givonaldo Vieira in Pernambuco. According to reports we have gathered, investigators believe Vieira’s murder was an execution carried out by hired gunmen.
- On December 11, two journalists who work for Carajás TV’s crime program, “Campo Mourão Urgente,” were shot at as they were editing their program in Paraná. Rita de Cássia dos Santos, the program’s producer, suspects the shooters were local drug traffickers attempting to intimidate the reporters.
- On December 10, the Federal Supreme Court ruled against an appeal filed by O Estado de São Paulo asking to reverse a lower court decision preventing it from publishing information about a federal investigation of businessman Fernando Sarney. It happens that Sarney is the son of Brazil’s senate president (and former president of Brazil) José Sarney.
- On December 5, photographer, Lúcio Távora, of A Tarde was harassed and threatened by military police officers while photographing a demonstration by students in Salvador.
- – On December 4, a court in Acre released Antônio Muniz, a local TV commentator and columnist for the daily newspaper, O Rio Branco. Muniz had been jailed for two days in connection with a 2002 conviction on a charge of defaming a senator. He was released because in the new Brazil, press offenses have been decriminalized — a victory for free expression. Notwithstanding, Muniz was forced to appear in handcuffs at a closed-door hearing, violating federal court rules.
We are frankly surprised that the list for a single month is so long, Your Excellency. Brazil has become a shining light for other countries on the path to modern economic development. The work of a free press has been absolutely central to that achievement. There could be no better recognition of that centrality than a firm statement of concern and concrete action on behalf of the journalists mentioned above.
Like the rest of the world, we will continue to give Brazil even greater attention in the next several years as the country builds toward the Olympics. We will give special attention to the situation of our colleagues in Brazil, and expect to remain in regular communication with both them and with you.
Respectfully yours,
Kevin McDermott
Jeremy Main
Co-chairmen – Freedom of the Press Committee
cc:
H.E. Antonio Aguier Patriota
Ambassador of Brazil to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil
3006 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: (202) 238.2827
Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeira Viotti
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the United Nations
747 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Fax: (212) 371.5716
H.E. Clifford Sobel
U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
Embassy of the United States of America
SES-Quadra 801, Lote 03
70403-900 Brazilia, DF
Brazil
Fax: (011.55.61) 32.25.91.37/ 9136
Rudolfo Fernandez Ricardo Trotti
Editor-in-Chief/Managing Editor
O Globo
Rua Irineu Marinbo #35 News
Biarro Cidade Nova 1801
Rio de Janeiro 20230 901
Fax: (011.55.21) 25.34.55.10
Roberto Gazzi
Editor-in-Chief
O Estado de Sao Paulo
Av. Engenheiro Caetano Alvaez 55, 6 andar Bairro Limao
Sap Paulo 02598 900 S.P.
Brazil
Roberto.gazzi.grupeoestado.com.br