Former President Eduardo Bandeira de Mello was punished this Monday in a vote on the Flamengo board of directors. For speaking out about the fire in the Vulture’s Nest, the former president was punished for 90 days and deprived of his political rights.

Consequently, he will not be able to participate in the next elections, which will last until December, as well as for the next five years. After leaving the plenary session, Bandeira was applauded by the fans who sang the club’s anthem.

The meeting was attended by 84 councilors, and the vote ended with 52 votes in favor, 30 against, 1 blank and 1 invalid. The meeting was also attended by Bandeira’s political opponents in the current administration, such as Rodolfo Landim, BAP and Gustavo Oliveira.

Natural Board Member Marcos Braz was also present and was in charge of raising the flag at the start of the event. Former presidents Marcio Braga, Kleber Leite, Patricia Amorim and Helio Ferras attended in support of Eduardo.

Bandeira now has two options: to appeal to an advisory board or to go to a court of general jurisdiction to overturn the sentence. According to the second hypothesis, he can restore his political rights. The appeal, in turn, has no suspensive effect only if the chairman of the Board of Directors granted it after receiving the appeal, which would not have happened.

The former president circulated a note in which he announced that he would appeal the decision and attack political opponents.

understand the matter

The reason for the punishment in the Council is a statement made last year about the tragedy of ten young men from the base in Niño do Urubu in February 2019, when Rodolfo Landim was already ahead of Flamengo.

“If I were still president, I’m almost sure there would be no fire. I stayed there for six years and nothing happened. What happened there, I was no longer there, and, to be honest, I don’t know what was the reason. But I hope that the prosecutor’s office will prove the truth. Because it is very unpleasant when innocent people are accused completely unfairly. One of them is me, ”Bandeira said then.

The speech provoked a reaction from the current government. Shortly thereafter, the Vanguarda Rubro-Negra political group, based on two articles of the club’s statutes, 24 and 49, requested an investigation into Bandeira. 49 provides for the suspension or expulsion of membership for 360 days for “disseminating dishonest statements by any means of communication against Flamengo or members of its powers during the election campaign or because of their functions.”

Bandeira supporters are signaling that the committee of inquiry, set up to rule on the case on the board of directors, is entirely formed from allies of the Landim administration and against the former president. Among them is Tulio Cristiano Machado Rodriguez, President of the Commission and cousin of Landim. The remaining members are Eduardo Carreyran (who has already signed another submission against Bandeira) and Marcelo Fraga de Oliveira.

Tulio has already filed a petition to strip Kleber Leite of the title of great benefactor, but the former president has also been acquitted. And he defended Bandeira on his blog.

“The desire to punish the former president, first of all – to deprive him of his right, and then, who knows, to throw him out of the club – is a devilish plan developed by people who intend to perpetuate their power. And what did Eduardo do to provoke so much hatred and rebellion? Taken out of context, he says – and it is true – that no one died in Flamengo while he was president. will not run for the December elections.

The proximity of the court prompted Flamengo’s partners to publish a manifesto against possible sanctions. The Fla, Tradition and Youth group published a note of solidarity signed by Judge Ciro Darlan, citing Article 5 of the Federal Constitution, which advocates freedom of expression.

“The law defines an association as an association of people who unite for non-economic purposes. Lately, especially in this election year, Flamengo has been undergoing hateful attacks on this union at heart, ”reads one passage.