Brazilian team slammed for signing convicted murderer
Ronaldo Sarto’s hot dog truck hums with activity as students from nearby universities gather to eat and discuss the day’s news in this southeastern Brazilian city. Lately, one topic has dominated the conversations: local soccer club Boa Esporte’s decision to sign a two-year contract with Bruno Fernandes de Souza, a former star goalkeeper who in 2013 was convicted of the grisly murder of his ex-girlfriend.
Souza, 32, was found to have ordered the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Samudio in 2010 after she demanded child support for the couple’s newborn. Police said parts of Samudio’s body were fed to dogs. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison but has been temporarily released pending the outcome of a lengthy appeal.
The team’s signing of Souza sent shock waves through this soccer-loving country and has sparked debates about Brazil’s tolerance for violence against women, perceived impunity for celebrities and the weakness of the criminal justice system.
“When we heard that this person is coming to our city, at first people were very alarmed,” Sarto told USA TODAY Sports.
But Sarto says there is also a segment of Varginha residents who think Bruno, as he is known in Brazil, deserves a chance to play.
“The women aren’t divided,” said Aline Goulart, who has worked with Sarto at the hot dog truck for 16 years. “Most women are against this.”
Goulart began to poll nearby female students about their opinions. One woman called it a disgrace for the city. Another woman yelled at her boyfriend after he suggested that if a judge released Souza, he should be allowed to play.
It was a scene that has played out repeatedly across Varginha. Laurene Pereira, a government health worker who was on lunch break, argued with her colleagues about whether “the city is having a party for a killer,” and João Marcos, a street vendor selling electronics, chatted with a friend about whether the signing would help or harm the city’s image.
The team’s decision to sign Souza two weeks ago prompted swift criticism in the Brazilian media and outrage on social media. Five sponsors have ended their support for Boa Esporte, and the city government is exploring whether it can break its stadium agreement with the team.
Juca Kfouri, a Brazilian sports journalist, said in a phone interview that he reacted to the signing with incredulity.
“I still can’t understand Boa Esporte’s intention, what did they think was going to happen?” Kfouri said of the avalanche of criticism the team has received. “This is the dumbest marketing decision that I’ve ever seen in my life.”
In his first public statement, Boa Esporte Club President Rone Moraes da Costa recently said the club was not breaking any laws and was fulfilling a “social obligation” by helping a person readjust to society after prison. “I have a clear conscience that Bruno needs this process of re-socialization,” Costa told local news media. “He deserves another opportunity.”
In a recent interview with ESPN Brazil, Souza expressed his gratitude to Boa Esporte. “I am not a criminal. I made a mistake, a serious one,” he said. “I have asked God’s forgiveness and am focused on my work and starting my life over.”
But it’s not easy to start over with Souza being such a polarizing figure. Earlier this month, on the same day the club introduced Souza as its newest member, some 25 women gathered in the city center dressed in black and with their hands painted red to protest Souza being allowed to play. The next day, fans welcomed Souza and posed for selfies as he entered the stadium.
A local activist who participated in the protest, Mari Rodrigues, said she was “horrified” that their hometown club would welcome a person convicted of such a gruesome murderer. “Violence against women in Brazil is so commonplace that it becomes trivial,” she said. “It’s so sad that people will do anything for media attention or to make a profit.”
Brazil has among the highest rates of women murdered in the world, and a government hotline receives reports of violence against women the equivalent of every seven minutes.
Many residents repeatedly told USA TODAY Sports that they drew a distinction between the judge’s ruling and Boa Esporte’s decision, arguing that if Souza has been released from prison, he should be allowed to play soccer. Ueverton Gonçalves Leite, 26, is a fan of Boa Esporte and said he supports the team’s decision. “Regardless of what he did, everyone getting out of prison has the right to work. His profession is soccer, so let him play soccer.”
But this opinion was frequently rebutted by those who pointed out that Souza had served only six years of a 22-year sentence, as well as questioning the message it sends to put a convicted murderer in the spotlight. “We don’t want to deprive him of honest work,” said Rodrigues, the activist. “But playing (professional) soccer is not a normal job. He shouldn’t be an idol, a reference for our children in the country’s most important sport.”
Rita Oliveira, who works at a women’s clothing store, said she feels conflicted. “On the one hand, I think about the (murdered) woman’s family, that child who will be raised without a mother. On the other, as a Christian, I believe that everyone has a right to repent and if they are seeking to lead a good life, society should support them.”
The only issue most residents agreed upon was that the Brazilian justice system is imbalanced, punishing the poor while letting the rich off the hook. “When a poor person robs a chicken, we put him in jail and don’t offer any second chances,” said Goulart, the hot dog truck vendor. “But look at the second chance we’ve given to someone who did such a horrible crime, just because he’s famous.”