The Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro went out in solidarity with Vinícius Jr.
Photo: Wagner Meier/Getty Images
The Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Hill in Rio de Janeiro was left in the dark for an hour on Monday night as a way of solidarity for the racist insults suffered by the Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. in Spain.
The illumination of the monumental statue of 709 meters they turned off at 18:00, and turned on an hour later.
“The Archdiocesan Shrine of Christ the Redeemer repudiates the racist attacks suffered by the Brazilian soccer player Vinícius Júnior on Sunday, May 21 during the match between Real Madrid and Valencia,” the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro said in a statement.
during that hour they disconnected the illumination of the structure of christ with open arms as a “symbol of the collective fight against racism”.
Through social networks, the Real Madrid striker confessed that he was moved by the show of support.
“Black is important. The Christ the Redeemer was like this recently. An action of solidarity that excites me. But I want, above all, to inspire and bring more light to our fight”, said Vinícius Jr.
The striker also thanked all the support he has received, both from Brazil and from around the world for the acts of racism.
“I know exactly who is who. Count on me because the good ones are the majority and I will not give up. I have a purpose in life and, if I have to suffer more and more so that future generations do not go through similar situations, I am ready and prepared,” he concluded.
The administrators of Christ the Redeemer joined the messages of rejection of racism that multiplied this Monday in Brazil.
The Government itself, in a statement, repudiated “in the strongest terms” the racist insults that Vinícius Júnior “has been repeatedly suffering in Spain” and demanded that the government and soccer authorities of that country, as well as FIFA, adopt “effective” measures.
The Foreign Ministry, the Government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva regretted “deeply that, up to now, no effective measures have been taken to prevent and avoid the repetition of these acts of racism.”
With information from EFE.
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