The Brazilian government has decreed a three-day national mourning period in honor of former soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, who died Thursday at the age of 82.
Outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro has published a decree in an extraordinary edition of the Official Journal of the Union to declare mourning in the country, as reported by ‘Folha de S.Paulo’.
«Official mourning is declared throughout the national territory, for a period of three days, counted from the date of publication of this decree, as a sign of grief for the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, former soccer player,» the measure states.
Hours earlier, the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Brazilian Executive had issued a communiqué lamenting the death of Pelé.
«He demonstrated with his actions that, in addition to being a great athlete, he was also a great citizen and patriot, raising the name of Brazil wherever he went,» the statement said.
«The President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, prays to God to receive him in his arms and give strength and faith to all his family and friends to overcome this difficult moment,» the text ends.
Pelé, considered one of the best in the history of the sport, died Thursday at the age of 82 after suffering health problems since late November, according to Brazilian media and later confirmed by his family.
The former striker, three-time world champion with the ‘Canarinha’, had been admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital in the city of Sao Paulo since November 29 and his health condition worsened as the days went by, despite the fact that both he and his family tried to send reassuring messages.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
