Opposition push for Casares exit: Belmonte and key figures back move | OneFootball

A total of 41 São Paulo council members, all of whom are either part of or connected to opposition groups against the current administration, submitted a petition on Friday afternoon (28th) requesting the resignation of president Julio Casares.

For now, the movement does not pose a real threat to the tricolor leader, since the council has 260 members. In other words, in practice, only one in every six council members supports Casares’ departure.

However, everything indicates that the public list of dissatisfied members should increase considerably by the beginning of next week. And with some big names.

According to information gathered by AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, some “cardinals” (experienced and influential figures in São Paulo’s politics), as well as the political group of Carlos Belmonte, who resigned from his position as football director in the morning, are expected to endorse the movement.

Basically, this is the public opening of the political dispute for Casares’ succession at the end of next year. Sensing the president’s moment of weakness, the opposition has mobilized.

Regarding the document (the full text of which you can read below), the text cites “reckless management.”

To the attention of President Júlio Cesar Casares,

We hereby publicly, in our capacity as Deliberative Council members and in strict fulfillment of our statutory responsibilities, request that Your Excellency immediately resign from the position of President of the Board of São Paulo Futebol Clube.

This request is based on successive episodes that, throughout your administration, have seriously compromised the institutional, financial, and sporting stability of the entity. The recurring annual deficits, produced largely by the absolute lack of control over expenses—especially in the football department—have, on several occasions, constituted situations that qualify as reckless management under Article 25 of Law No. 13,155 (Profut Law). This reality has been repeatedly warned about by several of the council members who sign this document. The direct consequence of these imbalances has been the exponential increase in debt, bringing the club to the brink of an unsustainable situation.

In the sporting field, the results achieved are far below what would be expected from a club of the stature of São Paulo Futebol Clube, especially considering the substantial investments made. The discrepancy between spending and performance was reflected in the near absence of significant achievements and in campaigns incompatible with our history, in addition to having unmistakably exposed the current administration’s inability to plan and execute. The succession of mistakes, combined with the inability to build a coherent project, has become a central factor in the competitive decline we now witness.

At the same time, the political management of the institution has suffered serious setbacks. The repeated attempts to promote statutory changes with the clear purpose of centralizing power and the systematic persecution of council members and associates who express dissenting positions violate essential principles of governance, plurality, and transparency. Such practices not only weaken the club’s democratic structure but also destroy internal trust and drive away voices indispensable to balanced decision-making.

Finally, the last straw: the intention to negotiate Cotia under such disadvantageous conditions that there was not even a willingness to bring the matter to the Deliberative Council, even after it was approved by the Board of Directors. Added to this is the humiliating rout suffered yesterday, ending yet another trophyless season, in which the only remaining goal is to seek a spot in the Libertadores through the back door.

In light of this set of factors, it is clear that Your Excellency’s continuation in office has become incompatible with the best interests of São Paulo Futebol Clube. For these reasons, we formally request your immediate resignation, so that the club may urgently begin a process of reconstruction.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.