A federal judge canceled this Tuesday (16) the planned diplomatic passport for the leader of the Universal Kingdom of Jesus church, Edir Macedo, and his wife, Ester Eunice Rangel Bezerra.
Federal judge Vigdor Teitel, of the 11th Vara Federal of Rio de Janeiro, deferred to a popular request to suspend the special privileges guaranteed by the document.
In the decision, Teitel said that Macedo’s activities outside of the country as leader of the Universal Church does not justify the special protection of a diplomatic passport because they are not in the “interests of the country."
“The missionary trips—even if they are constant—and the activities carried out abroad are in no way prejudiced without the use of the document in question,” said Teitel.
“In view of this, I shall issue an injunction to suspend the effects of the order of April 12, 2019, which granted diplomatic passports to defendants Edir Macedo Bezerra and Ester Eunice Rangel Bezerra until further notice,” Teitel concluded.
The ordinance that granted the diplomatic passport to Macedo and his wife was signed by the chancellor Ernesto Araújo.
The special document is valid for three years.
This is not the first time that Macedo received the benefit. He had achieved it in 2014, 2006 and in 2011.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon