The statue in honor of footballer Daniel Alves in his Brazilian hometown was removed, following a request from the Public Ministry and protests from citizens, following his conviction for rape in Spain, official sources said this Monday.
In a statement, the City Council of Juazeiro, a small city in the northeast of Brazil, stressed that it had removed it from the square where it was displayed in honor of its most famous countryman “in compliance with the recommendation of the Public Ministry of Bahia”.
The Public Ministry justified, in its recommendation, that the monument violates the legislation of the municipality of Juazeiro and the state of Bahia, which prohibit tributes to living people made with public resources.
This decision by local authorities comes after several protests by the population of Juazeiro.
Paid bail to get out of prison
Daniel Alves, 40, was sentenced on February 22 to four years and six months in prison for raping a 23-year-old woman in a Barcelona nightclub, but was released at the end of March after paying bail of one million of euros imposed by the Barcelona court, awaiting the outcome of the appeal in freedom.
The statue inaugurated in 2020 on a central avenue in Juazeiro was the target of several acts of rejection over the months, having been covered with a garbage bag and adhesive tape at the end of last year and, in February, covered with white paint.
On March 8, International Women’s Day, several women demonstrated around the statue with posters with slogans such as “no to rape culture” and “Daniel Alves rapist”.
The removed statue, the work of sculptor Leo Santana, represents the former defender of FC Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, PSG and São Paulo, among other clubs, wearing the Brazilian national team’s jersey controlling a ball with his feet.
