The UOL Portal, on 06.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX, published an article signed by journalist Leo Burlá, prepared based on a report by Mr. José Augusto Lopes Bezerra, about an alleged tampering with the location where the sad fire occurred at the George Helal Training Center (“Ninho do Urubu”), which, according to the aforementioned gentleman's allegation, would have been ordered by the CEO of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Mr. Reinaldo Belotti.
It is important to highlight that, when seeking Flamengo's comment on the aforementioned allegation, the aforementioned journalist concealed relevant information, facts and documents, which would be used in the article, which prevented Flamengo and Mr. Reinaldo Belotti from exercising their full defense, in order to present a more detailed report, with evidentiary support, of the inconsistencies existing in the false statements made by Mr. José Augusto Bezerra, as will be demonstrated below.
APPOINTMENT OF MR. JOSÉ AUGUSTO BEZERRA AND “INITIAL MEETING”
And 11.02.2019 14.02.2019
Mr. José Augusto Bezerra's claim that his first contact with Flamengo's CEO occurred on the very day of the fire (February 08.02.2019, 10.02.2019) is false, as is the claim that the alleged alteration of the fire scene occurred on February 11.02.2019, 2. This is because, only on February XNUMX, XNUMX, Mr. José Augusto Bezerra was included in the matter and introduced to Mr. Reinaldo Belotti, after XNUMX (two) Vice-Presidents of Flamengo – Mr. Luiz Eduardo Baptista (“BAP”), then Vice-President of External Relations, and Mr. Gustavo Oliveira, Vice-President of Communication and Marketing – recommended him to Mr. Reinaldo Belotti, as evidenced by the graphic works collated below.
Therefore, it was impossible for Mr. José Augusto Bezerra to be at the CT between February 08.02.2019, 10.02.2019 and February 11.02.2019, XNUMX, since this gentleman did not even exist for Flamengo before February XNUMX, XNUMX.
Furthermore, UOL had in its possession the email of 14.02.2019, which was sent by Mr. José Augusto Bezerra to the CEO of Flamengo, requesting the scheduling of an “initial meeting”, which should have been noted and reported by UOL in its report, since it is incongruent with a previous joint trip to Ninho do Urubu.
MR. JOSÉ AUGUSTO BEZERRA'S VISIT TO NINHO DO URUBU TOOK PLACE ON 19.02.2019, ACCORDING TO HIMSELF.
The report submitted to Flamengo and in the possession of UOL states that Mr. José Augusto Bezerra's in-person visit to the Training Center only took place on February 19.02.2019, XNUMX, according to his own information. Therefore, there is no record of Mr. José Augusto Bezerra having visited on an earlier date, which should have been covered by UOL in its article and not omitted, as it was.
PHOTO FROM 19.02.2019/XNUMX/XNUMX SHOWS THE WIRING STILL PRESENT
In photograph 4 of the article, it is stated that the wires were ripped out on February 10.02.2019, 19.02.2019. However, in the report whose inspection was carried out on February XNUMX, XNUMX, the wiring was ripped out, revealing the blatant lie that nothing was ripped out, demonstrating UOL's investigative incapacity to fail to verify yet another clear inconsistency.
It's worth remembering that both the email dated February 14.02.2019, 19.02.2019, requesting the "initial meeting," and the "report" attesting to the visit to the training center on February XNUMX, XNUMX, were included in the legal proceedings exhaustively examined "for months" by UOL. However, UOL withheld this relevant information, which conflicted with Mr. José Augusto Bezerra's unfounded version, causing serious damage to Flamengo's image and the honor of Flamengo's CEO, Reinaldo Belotti.
As if it weren't enough to have supposedly analyzed the case "for months," UOL received all the aforementioned documents and information from Flamengo, but, through its Editor-in-Chief, refused to issue a retraction acknowledging the inconsistency between the allegations it reported and the documents. UOL engaged in reprehensible conduct during the reporting of the story, withholding relevant information, and irresponsibly impeding the right to a full defense, all in order to maintain a story that could have brought it profit and visibility, at the expense of the honor and reputation of others.
USELESSNESS OF THE ALLEGED ADULTERATION
Another point that shows the investigative incapacity of the journalists involved is that they did not investigate the reasons that would lead Flamengo to, allegedly, hide evidence on February 10.02.2019, 08.02.2019, because the judicial expertise was carried out with the collection of evidence and photos on February XNUMX, XNUMX itself and Flamengo had no one to deceive, since the recording of the fire scene was completed.
It is important to say that the official court report expressly mentions the existence of wires with splices and twists, which was not considered by UOL, as a clear lack of motivation, demonstrating once again the lack of zeal and professionalism in making a supposedly investigative article, which was based only on the word of a known enemy of Flamengo.
It is therefore clear that there was no concealment of evidence or tampering with the scene, given that the Expert Report prepared by the Civil Police expressly mentions the existence of the wires that, in Mr. José Augusto Bezerra's lies, were allegedly removed.
It should be noted that the ICCE Expert Report, even though it mentioned the existence of wires with splices and twists, concluded that the cause of the fire was a problem inside the air conditioning unit.
CONCLUSION
In view of everything that has been demonstrated and proven above, it is clear that the accusations made by Mr. José Augusto Bezerra and published by UOL are false and have the sole purpose of slandering Flamengo and Mr. Reinaldo Belotti.
Even though UOL received all the documentation cited above, clearly proving that all of Mr. José Augusto Bezerra's accusations are absolutely false and unfounded, it denied Flamengo's request for retraction, further aggravating the joint responsibility for the damage caused to the image of this club and to the honor and good name of CEO Reinaldo Belotti.
Flamengo has nothing to hide; quite the contrary. It has always cooperated with the authorities, always supported the families, and understands that this is a story that must be analyzed and judged by the authorities. As painful as it may be, this story is part of our history, and we don't want to erase it. Quite the opposite, but we demand that the evidence and facts of the criminal case be respected, that facts not be fabricated and fabricated. fake news to sell periodicals or give notoriety to people without credibility, impartiality and ethics.
Flamengo is available to clarify the facts and demonstrate the lies told by Mr. José Augusto Bezerra and published irresponsibly by UOL, and will also adopt the appropriate legal measures, civil and/or criminal, against all those involved.
