The life-size statue of Daniel Alves which had been installed in Jazueiro, his hometown, in homage to his most famous fellow citizen, was removed early Monday morning. Since the former footballer was convicted in Spain of rape, the statue was the center of controversy and protests by citizens.
The mayor’s office of Juazeiro, a city of about 220,000 inhabitants in the interior of the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, informed EFE what removed the monument this Monday to respond to a recommendation from the Public Ministry and “in compliance with applicable laws.”
Before the municipality finally agreed to remove it, The statue was the target of protests and acts of vandalism by citizen movements and women’s rights groups for honoring a soccer player convicted of rape.
The work was covered with a garbage bag and duct tape at the end of last year and in February it was covered in white paint.
Despite the motivation for these protests, the Public Ministry managed to convince the mayor’s office with the argument that the monument violates the legislation of both the municipality of Juazeiro and the state of Bahia. since both prohibit tributes to living people made with public resources.
The Public Ministry took on the case following a complaint filed by activist Manuella Tyler, in reaction to the rape conviction. In statements to EFETyler stated that The permanence of this sculpture called into question the “value and dignity of women.”
On March 8, International Women’s Dayseveral women demonstrated around him with signs that read phrases such as “no to rape culture” and “Daniel Alves rapist.”
The former Barcelona player He was sentenced on February 22 to four years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a 23-year-old girl. in a nightclub in Barcelona, but has been provisionally released since the end of March after having paid the bail of one million euros imposed by the Barcelona Court.
The retired statue, the work of sculptor Leo Santana, reproduces in life size the former full-back of clubs such as Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, PSG and Sao Paulo wearing the shirt of the Brazilian national team and controlling a fight with his feet.
Alves, who played in three World Cups and was twice champion of the Copa América and twice champion of the Confederations Cup with the Brazilian team, is, with 43 titles, one of the footballers with the most trophies in the world, including the Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020.