Mayor of Saint-Ouen says the tribute was not paid to Neymar because of the athlete’s support for the former president
The inauguration of Rua Doutor Sócrates, in the commune of Saint-Ouen (France), was criticized by football player Neymar Jr. and former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL). Mayor Karim Bouamrane stated that he had discarded the athlete’s name due to his support for the former head of the Brazilian Executive. The event paying homage to the Brazilian footballer was held this Saturday (March 30, 2024).
“Between Neymar who voted for Bolsonaro and Raí who voted for Lula, I made my choice. Between Neymar and Sócrates, I made my choice. This is a raised fist”, he said. The speech was shared on X (formerly Twitter). Raí, former player and brother of Sócrates, was at the inauguration.
Saint-Ouen will host the Brazilian Olympic delegation at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. The street named after the Brazilian player is located within Vila Olímpia, which should later become a neighborhood.
No Instagram, a Saint-Ouen City Hall stated the partnership “cultural, sporting, ecological and economic” between France and Brazil. He also described having chosen Sócrates because of his prominence as one of the greatest Brazilian players, but also because of his political commitment against the Military Dictatorship (1964-1985).
To Uol, Karim also said he had chosen between democracy or dictatorship. “It’s either Sócrates or Neymar. It’s either democracy or dictatorship. It’s either love or hate. Sócrates was the captain of the team. But he carried the values of democracy and freedom”he stated.
The tribute was designed by Brazilian artist Rafa Mon, who thanked her on social media for the opportunity to be part of the moment.
Source: https://www.poder360.com.br/esportes/inauguracao-de-rua-dr-socrates-na-franca-tem-criticas-a-bolsonaro/
