Euripides or Sabino: which will Fabio choose?
Fabio Barbosa, the "good moo," arrives in April with editorial powers. He will have to choose between the gentle style of Eurípedes Alcântara, director of Veja, or the heavy hand of issue number 2, Mario Sabino.
247 – The statement from Roberto Civita, owner of Abril, which publishes Veja magazine, was clear and unambiguous. Executive Fabio Barbosa, who softened the image of banks like Real and Santander with his "nice guy" reputation, will assume command of the group with absolute power, including over the editorial area – which includes Veja. In this position, Barbosa will face a considerable challenge. In recent years, Veja has made its political conduct explicit – and clearly engaged. Although it pleases some readers, the publication has radicalized political discourse in Brazil and has begun to provoke reactions of love and hate – which is inconsistent with the balanced stance of the former president of Santander.
This weekend, once again, Veja magazine circulated a controversial report, alleging that former Chief of Staff José Dirceu, a defendant in the Mensalão corruption scandal, moves among high-ranking officials of the Republic. In short, Veja uncovered an open secret: that Dirceu is involved in politics. To this end, the magazine infiltrated a journalist into the Naoum Hotel in Brasília, where the former minister is staying. The journalist reportedly tried, unsuccessfully, to enter Dirceu's room. When discovered, he left the hotel without checking out.read moreThis conduct of a "spy-reporter," who may have committed the crime of trespassing, would certainly not be in accordance with the values advocated by Fabio Barbosa.
This report was assigned by the publication's editor-in-chief, Mario Sabino, who is temporarily in charge of Veja. The director, Eurípedes Alcântara, is on vacation. And their styles are radically opposite. Alcântara is a docile, affable person. Sabino is the heavy hand of the publication. And the disagreements between them are also symptoms of an internal power struggle. A struggle that, from time to time, leaves scars. A few weeks ago, the magazine lost one of its employees, editor Felipe Patury, because he allegedly did not have the freedom to report on the party hosted by lawyer Roberto Podval on the Amalfi Coast. Dissatisfied with the restrictions imposed by Veja's heavy hand, Patury transferred to the competitor Época.
Fabio Barbosa's mission
Why would Roberto Civita have chosen a conciliator like Fabio Barbosa to lead the group? It's speculated that one of his roles would be to rebuild bridges with the Dilma government. Barbosa was a member of the Petrobras board when it was chaired by the former Minister of Mines and Energy. He is also a respected figure within the PT – so much so that he was considered numerous times for the presidency of the Central Bank.
The repercussions of Veja's report this weekend will be crucial for Fabio Barbosa to make his first significant decision: Eurípedes or Sabino? If the accusations against José Dirceu prove overwhelming, Sabino will have won. If, in addition to being inconsistent, they were the result of a crime, the magazine's number two can start tidying his drawers.
The die is cast.
And if Fabio Barbosa wants a wildcard, he'll have the experienced journalist Augusto Nunes, a columnist for Veja Online, on the bench, who would love to take on a new leadership position in the Brazilian press.