October 2, 2021

17:10

Gabriel Abreu – from Cenarium

MANAUS – The lawyer and undersecretary of Management and Planning Valcerlan Ferreira Cruz filed a lawsuit in the Court of Justice of the Amazonas (TJAM) against CENARIUM to remove the articles produced by the communication company that mention the lawyer. The articles broadcasted in the CENARIUM communication channels show allegations from asphalt businessmen about the way Valcerlan acts in the bidding process for the purchase of asphalt concrete.

Valcerlan is a childhood friend of the mayor of Manaus, David Almeida (Avante), and was appointed to be the authorizer of expenses in the Municipal Department of Infrastructure (Seminf), a function that usually belongs to the holder of the portfolio. Valcerlan’s assignment was made official during the initial period of the bid evaluation process for the acquisition of asphalt by the Municipal Bidding Commission (CML), on July 1, whose final decision depends on Seminf, during the technical evaluation phase.

Read more: David Almeida’s ‘man’ at Seminf and the R$ 200 million bid placed in check by businessmen

Lawsuit

In the action filed with injunction, the document is signed by Valcerlan Cruz himself. According to him, the reports have the interest to “denigrate” his personal life and put in doubt what he characterized as an “efficient work” performed ahead of Seminf.

“It is observed that the criminal action taken by this ‘blog’ is an untruth that can be characterized as one more of today’s much fought ‘fake news’, whose only and irrefutable goal is to gravel the image of the plaintiff, plaintiff in this action, which goes beyond the condition of simple damage, invading the field of honor and image of the author”, says in one of the excerpts of the piece.

Racist vocabulary

Over the years, it has always been common to use originally racist expressions ingrained in the Brazilian vocabulary. This, unfortunately, happens because the verbal writing and the language are based on a racist, slavocratic and prejudiced foundation. In current times, prejudiced, racist, xenophobic expressions continue in use in daily life, as in Valcerlan’s vocabulary, when using the racist term “denigrate”.

In another excerpt, the undersecretary accuses that the journalistic material produced by CENARIUM is false and is justified in being in charge of Seminf for less than two months. “What can be seen is that the publications combated all have the same vice of origin: they are false, full of levity by those who inform, with information almost bordering on nonsense, incomplete to reach only the author who assumed this work in July making up less than 60 days ahead of the office.

Moral damage

Valcerlan Cruz says that the materials conveyed were intended to “shake his career in the area of advocacy”, as he is very active in various committees of the Brazilian Bar Association Section of Amazonas (OAB-AM), among other functions that he held throughout his career.

“The greatest asset earned through hard work over many years of serious and impartial activities is certainly your reputation, your good image with those who know you. Excellence, is precisely this priceless asset that is being violated unfairly and meanly by the Defendant to publish successive lies in order to tarnish the good name of the author [Valcerlan]” explains in one of the excerpts.

In the action filed in the court of the 13th Civil Court and Accidents at Work, the lawyer Valcerlan Ferreira Cruz asked to be removed immediately from the pages of CENARIUM the publications of articles produced by the communication vehicle. He also requested that the defendants be summoned by a court official, and then the regular processing of the case be determined, without the need for a conciliation or mediation hearing.

Finally, he requested payment of compensation in the amount of R$160,000 which is compatible with the gravity of the violation perpetrated and with doctrinal and jurisprudential parameters applicable to the species.

Evidence-based investigation

Jurists consulted by CENARIUM evaluated that the verification of the material published is based on real information and evidence. CENARIUM MAGAZINE acts in an ethical, transparent and based on the truth, publishing articles with data and based on the opinion of several experts, technicians, besides the position of the State controlling and inspecting agencies, as in the case of the articles that mention Valcerlan.

The CENARIUM MAGAZINE is part of AGÊNCIA CENARIUM, a content generator about the Brazilian Amazon, which produces guidelines on socio-political, socio-economic and behavioral issues related to diversity, gender equality and ethno-racial relations. CENARIUM is present in three communication platforms, being online, Web TV and a printed journal with more than 70 pages.