In a statement distributed in Luanda, Angolan bishops and pastors, who since June 22nd took over the direction of the IURD in Angola, accuse the Brazilian bishop Honorilton Gonçalves of being, through Fé TV, TV Zimbo and social networks, conducting a campaign of slander and defamation, which also affects Angolan Public Television (TPA).
For the national bishops, with the campaign, which they consider “a reprehensible and condemnable attitude”, it is exposed “the character of Bishop Honorilton Gonçalves and the Brazilian leadership of IURD-Angola, who has acted“ with falsehood and expresses bad faith to the Angolan people ”.
“Therefore, we appeal to the members, workers, pastors and bishops of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God and to society in general, to keep calm and the spirit of brotherhood. Reaffirming that the actions of the Reform Commission have observed the law and the dignity of the human person, respecting the principles of the Christian faith and the moral and civic standards of our culture, ”says the note.
The note emphasizes that between the 22nd and 23rd of June this year, pastors “imbued with a spirit of faith and bravery decided to put an end to the bad practices perpetrated by Mr. Honorilton Gonçalves, namely racism, arrogance, abuse of power and trust, which culminated in the effective rescue of teamplos and places of worship in the 18 provinces of Angola ”.
Angolan religious people accuse Bishop Honorilton Gonçalves of spreading lies, “making believe that ex-pastors and ex-workers were the protagonists of the aforementioned acts, which he considered“ vandalism ”, and invasion of places of worship, using networks and media controlled by the then Brazilian leadership, namely TV Zimbo, Fé TV and Record TV Angola ”.
The internal conflict of the IURD in Angola has caused tensions between the two countries, with the direct involvement of both governments.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sent a letter to his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, asking for protection for IURD pastors in Angola, released last Monday on Twitter by the federal deputy and son of the president of Brazil, Eduardo Bolsonaro (PSL -SP).
In the letter addressed to João Lourenço, Bolsonaro alludes to the acts of violence and asks to avoid “that facts of this kind occur again or are characterized as the consequences of 'internal disputes'”, also calling for greater protection for members of the IURD , "In order to guarantee their physical and material integrity and the restitution of properties and houses, while the deliberations continue in the pertinent instances".
That same day, the Brazilian ambassador to Luanda, Paulino Franco de Carvalho, was received by the Angolan Foreign Minister, Téte António, who addresses
Angolans accuse Brazilians of irregularities and practices contrary to religion such as vasectomy, racism and discrimination and broke, in November last year, with the Brazilian representation in Angola headed by Bishop Honorilton Gonçalves.
