On October 26, 2019, Mr. Walace Lara, a reporter for Rede Globo, went to a headquarters of the Heralds of the Gospel in Caieiras to interview the religious institution in the context of a program to be presented by him in Fantástico.
However, once on the scene, the reporter refused to listen to members of the Heralds who were there, eager to restore the truth that had been distorted by the broadcaster in previous program. Outraged by the attitude of the report, the families who were present expelled the reporter and his staff from the venue, to the cries of "racism" and "religious discrimination".
On the same day, the press service of the Heralds of the Gospel addressed an Open Letter to Rede Globo. This was disseminated to the general public by those same women whose voice the broadcaster intended to shut up.
The text of the Letter (source: https://www.arautos.org/secoes/arautos/275100-275100).
OPEN LETTER TO GLOBO TV NETWORK
TO TV GLOBO DE TV
Att. FANTASTIC Program
Dear Sirs.
We addressed the direction of this station to report a regrettable fact that occurred today, October 26, in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, of the Heralds of the Gospel, located in the municipality of Caieiras (SP).
Yesterday, the 25th, Friday, we received a new interview request from FANTÁSTICO, which we cordially accepted, provided that we were given the opportunity to answer each accusation individually and, to this end, we needed the questions that would be asked.
At night, Mr. Renato Ferezim contacted us, saying it was not customary for the Program to anticipate the agenda with the questions.
It explained to him that the request did not consist of curtailing freedom of the press, but only in ensuring fairness and transparency. Finally, the interview was accepted, despite the Network's refusal to anticipate the issues.
Faced with the ignorance of what the questions would be, some sisters from the women's sector of the Heralds of the Gospel, directly or indirectly involved, even attended with the legitimacy of speaking on behalf of the institution about any questions.
Indeed, upon arriving at the Church, Mr. Walace Lara told Fr. Alex Barbosa de Brito who came only to interview him, and no one else, without justifying this attitude.
He was then told that the Heralds opened the door to ask FANTASTIC for the opportunity to re-establish the truth.
There were gifts:
" Go. Terezinha (Karina Lorrayne Herdy Corbiceiro Zebendo), whose privacy and intimacy was violated by the widespread publication of her image by FANTÁSTICO last Sunday while benefiting from a "private exorcism";
" Go. Inês (Tammie Bonyun), sister of a young Canadian woman cited in one of the complaints published by the previous program, whose theme was dealt with by Mr. Walace Lara in the last interview.
" Go. Mariane Mariano Secundino, who is Afrodescendant; wanted to be present in order to clarify the false information brought to the air by FANTÁSTICO that in the Heralds blacks perform only functions of lesser importance, which was also conveyed by FANTÁSTICO;
" Dr. Pedro Uchida, father of Br. Livia Natsue Uchida, who came to respond personally to the slanderous accusations about the unfortunate accident that victimized her daughter.
Mr. Walace Lara arbitrarily refused to listen to these people in front of hundreds of witnesses. All recorded by us.
The Ep. Alex Barbosa de Brito said those sisters had the legitimacy to speak on behalf of the institution about any matters, since he, Fr. Alex, he was as Herald as any of them, and that there is no racial discrimination, nor gender, within the Heralds Association of the Gospel.
In the face of this, Mr. Walace refused to continue the interview and withdrew.
The reporter's refusal and subsequent departure with his team is another way to silence the voice of the real VICTIMS.
For the Heralds and their admirers these complaints are being extremely painful. The situation is being difficult to control mainly by the public who really know the works of the Heralds.
Every day, we are getting hundreds of calls, emails and visits, which show the indignation of these people against the aggressions and untruths launched on last Sunday's FANTASTIC program, the 20th.
If there will be a new matter in continuity to the previous one, why not allow women affected by the content of the previous article to give evidence to FANTÁSTICO? The journalist refused peremptorily, in a discriminatory way, to listen to them. Repeat yourself, all engraved by us.
The intention was to prevent thousands of individual actions in brazil from multiplying thousands of actions concerning these aggressions against people's faith and religiosity.
Therefore, they cried out to the reporter of this station for a space, where his voice could be heard and not just that of his detractors.
Perhaps, if the people had crowded in front of the Sanhedrio, Our Lord Jesus Christ had not been crucified…
How long will REDE GLOBO and other media "wash your hands"? How long are you going to "choose Barabbas"?
In a democracy, ALL must have a voice, and journalistic media must grant space equally. The right to freedom of religion and the criminalization of religious intolerance are enshrined by the Brazilian Federal Constitution, whether this broadcaster likes it or not.
We could not agree with a new interview in which, after edited as FANTÁSTICO did in relation to the previous article, the voice of the offended was silent.
The people who were mentioned here, directly or indirectly, in the last interview, have the right to be heard. And the Heraldsisters of the Gospel who presented themselves today have, repeat, legitimacy and ability to answer for themselves and for the institution.
WOMEN don't need a spokesperson!!!
At least here in the Heralds, that's the way it is!
Caieiras, São Paulo, October 26, 2019.
Best regards
Herald press service of the Heralds of the Gospel