The announcement made, at a press conference, by members of the church's board of directors, shows that the Brazilian bishop Honorilton Gonçalves ceases with immediate effect the functions he has exercised to date as general presbyter in Angola.
"The IURD further informs that the legal and statutory procedures will be scrupulously complied with a view to convening an extraordinary meeting of the association's general assembly in order to elect new members, Angolan citizens, the Board of Directors and the Bureau of the Assembly- General, "says the ad.
Part of the IURD clergy in Angola left the orbit of Brazilian leaders in the country, creating a division within the institution. The Government recognized the Angolan wing as legitimate, assigning them the management of the temples and equipment.
With this change, IURD hopes to contribute to peacemaking within the organization and "to represent the beginning of a new stage in the work it has been developing since 1992 at the service of Angolans".
Alberto Segunda, who was unanimously nominated by the Angolan Council of Bishops and leading pastors of various blocs in the country, answering questions from journalists who also said that the decision taken has to do with the deportation of Brazilian bishops and pastors, which comes happening in the past few days.
"Based on the latest events to safeguard our faithful who are not worshiping, who are suffering based on this conflict, we had to make a decision. Since our Brazilian colleagues are leaving the country then the leadership will be in the hands of Now if that group is legitimate or not, we want a statement of justice ", he stressed.
The new leader expressed openness to dialogue with both the Angolan authorities and the divergent party. According to Alberto Segunda, the churches are open, but empty, "because the people do not go to these churches", preferring to stay outside.
"The conflict is being caused by a very small group. We are willing to talk, to sit down with our Government and find a solution, it is not our intention that this conflict continues because the people are the ones who suffer," he stressed.
The new leadership is already known to the Brazilian bishop, founder of the IURD, Edir Macedo, continued Alberto Segunda, but from now on he is independent and free from interference.
"The IURD has a root and she is Brazilian, spiritually speaking, we will continue to be linked to Brazil, but we will be independent to make decisions, take the floor, work in an independent administrative way, without interference with Brazil", explained the bishop .
Even today, the communiqué on the new leadership will be sent to all institutions in the Angolan state, adding that the general assembly should take place within the next 15 days.
At issue is an internal conflict of the church, which divided its members into two wings, one of Brazilian origin, led until today by the Brazilian bishop Honorilton Gonçalves and the other, reformist, by the Angolan bishop Valente Bezerra.
The conflict started in November 2019, when a group of Angolan dissidents decided to withdraw from the Brazilian leadership with several allegations of crimes, namely foreign exchange evasion, racism, mandatory vasectomy, among others.
The missionaries of the church created by the Brazilian Edir Macedo denied the accusations and also accused Angolans of xenophobia and aggression.
In Angolan justice - after the divergences between the parties started, aggravated by the seizure of temples across the country - several judicial processes related to IURD Angola are being processed.
The Reform Commission of Angolan pastors was legitimized by the Angolan State, and the new direction of the IURD, headed by Bishop Valente Bezerra, was elected in the general assembly on February 13.
