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Dear Sir,

Nacaró, awarded by the World Press Cartoon in 2007, is developing an intense defamatory campaign against this organization, based in false allegations and entirely absurd criticisms.

Nacaró, identified in the registration form as Freddy Pibaque, effectively was awarded, but all the attempts made to deliver the cash prize failed: international banking transference orders and postal mail was returned.

The details of this incident are explained in the letter (attached) that we sent in March 2008 to sites and federations of cartoonists after the first allegations were worldwide diffused by the artist.

After the persistence of Nacaró in producing very slanderous emails, we decided to assign to our lawyers further contacts, and a letter was mailed to him in October 2008 (attached).

The World Press Cartoon is launching in 2009 its fifth edition. In four years, we awarded 37 works of big quality with money prizes and trophies, and the cartoon of Nacaró is among them.

We invited all of the prize-winning authors to participate in the inauguration of the Exhibition and they received their prizes in public shows (twice aired by national television) designed specifically to honor the Cartoon and the Cartoonists. WPC supported all the costs of journey and stay of these authors (without exception neither discrimination: we invited to Sintra, Portugal, cartoonists from Argentina, Russia, Iran, France, Indonesia, Romania, Canada and many other countries of several continents).

And we paid to these authors over 220 thousand dollars in cash prizes.

This Salon exists to honor the Cartoon while artistic and journalistic expression and to honor his authors. The attempt to question our honesty is deeply unfair.

This defamatory campaign also penalizes, at last, the Editorial Cartoon and his creators since it is threatening the Management and the Sponsors of a serious Organization. Coherent with the positions that we always defended on behalf of the liberty of expression, we do not want to silence Nacaró. But it is impossible not to protect World Press Cartoon from such unworthy attacks.

António Antunes
Rui Paulo da Cruz
Pedro Pereira da Silva
World Press Cartoon



ANNEX 1

JANUARY 2008 | LETTER ADDRESSED TO SEVERAL RECIPIENTS OF NACARÓ COMPLAINTS

1. Freddy Pibaque was awarded, invited to come the Sintra to receive the prize, confirmed his trip (an e-ticket was issued), but never embarked and later we were informed he has changed address and country of residence (from Colombia to Venezuela).?

2.When finally the contact was retaken, WPC asked FP for the personal banking data to process the money transfer, in the strict terms of the regulation.?

3. The inherent costs to the cancellation of the trip had been deducted in the value of the prize, since FP did not participate in the prize ceremony, after several confirmations of acceptance of our invitation.?

4. The contacts with FP went on difficult and, at a certain point, the author informed WPC that he did not have a bank account to receive the prize. FP was not either in condition to provide a complete address in his new country of residence, in order to our international post supplier to deliver the trophy.?

5. Finally, the 16th of November of 2007, FP sent to us the account data of a friend (in Colombia ) who could receive, in his behalf, the monetary prize. The 3th of December, a transfer order of 1285 euros was issued to our bank (final value after legal taxes in the European Union, in the terms of the regulation, and after the reimbursement of the e-ticket costs).?

6. Therefore, the money should be now (in Colombia ) in the account of FP's friend, in the case they keep their friendship status unchanged…

About the lateral issues:

7. FP did not participate in WPC 2006, so it would be difficult to return artwork that we never received... For the same reason, we did not send the 2006 catalogue (that FP says that he received). But we had send the 2007 catalogue to the available address (in Venezuela) of FP (but FP says that it did not receive)…?

8. The trophy is here. Safe and kept for deliver, as soon as FP has a clear address in Colombia , Venezuela, or at any another place of this wonderful world.?

To finish the clarification of this annoying incident, we should express our protest about FP using this way to complain, calumniating a serious and prestigious organization.

We exchanged with FP, throughout 2007, many and many emails. It is a pity that he has send this last one for so many colleagues, before getting accurate and up to date information from WPC.

If he wants to, FP is welcome to participate again in the 2008 edition of WPC. He's welcome and will be attended with fairness and warmth. As all the other cartoonists that, since 2005, helped us to make this Salon one of the best of the world!



ANNEX 2 | LETTER SENT TO NACARÓ BY WPC LAWYERS

Exmo. Senhor,

Venho, pela presente, na qualidade de mandatário da World Press Cartoon, informa-lo que, de futuro, todos os assuntos pendentes que existem entre si e o meu Cliente passarão a ser tratados directamente por mim.

Adianto que, o prémio que lhe foi atribuído está disponível para entrega na seguinte morada:

Av. 5 de Outubro, n.º 204, 10 andar, 1050-065 Lisboa, Portugal, poderá levantá-lo mediante data e hora a combinar previamente.

Informo ainda que, V.Exa. deverá abster-se de todo e qualquer comentário falso que põe em causa o bom-nome do meu Cliente, sob pena de lhe intentar a competente acção judicial, de modo a ressarcir os interesses do meu Cliente.

Em consequência, aconselho que, efectue um pedido de desculpas formais para todas as entidades e pessoas que foram alvo dos comentários menos próprios, da boa imagem e do bom-nome do meu Cliente, por parte de V.Exa.

Sem mais nenhum assunto de momento,

Subscrevo-me,
Alexandre Wanzeller
Advogado
Av. Alvares Cabral, 47 - R/c, 1250-059 Portugal - Tel. + 351 21 381 46 40 - Fax + 351 21 381 46 41
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(Translation: As lawyer of the World Press Cartoon, I inform you that all of the pending matters that exist among you and my Client will be directly managed by myself. I also inform that the prize that was awarded to you is available for delivery in the following address: Av. 5 de Outubro, 204, 10th floor, 1050-065 Lisbon, Portugal. You should abstain completely to produce any false comment that threatens the good-name of my Client, under the risk of legal suit and consequent compensation of the damaged interests of my Client. I advise you to present formal excuses to all the institutions and individuals that were aimed by your slanderous comments.)

 

LETTER SENT BY NACARÓ

6-11-08

FECO AID T A CONTEST THAT THREATEN CARTOONIST

Dear Director of FECO (Europa):
I am a cartoonist and when I see your web site I want to cry, because there are bad cartoon contests that you advertise it.
In 2007 I participated in WORLD PRESS CARTOON and I won second prize in the Caricature section. But until today (end of October 2008) I have not received my montary prize, nor the cartoon catalogue, neither the trophy they promise in their rules. Since April 2007 I sent messages to the director of wpc, Mr. Antonio Antunez, asking him to pay me my money, and nothing. When I denounced it by e-mail to colleagues (including you) Mr AA replied that it had paid. After he used a lawyer to amendrate: wpc's lawyer sent me a message threatening a criminal trial if I continued with my denunce of non-payment. (I attach you copy of the message). In addition, on this message says the lawyer: "The prize money can be withdrawn at the direction of .... wpc in Portugal."
With that message is verified that Mr. Antunez says one thing by e-mail to participants and says a different thing for me using his lawyer. It is also proved that wpc has not paid the prize, but AA says yes by e-mail.
But the case is even worse: nowhere in the regulation said that the winners should make a trip to Portugal to collect their prize. No contest in the world makes this absurd condition. Wpc does not respect its own rules.
But as a cartoonist and as a visitor of your website is something that worries me more: last year I sent a message to you and other colleagues to denounce this abuse, which wpc is not a serious event since it does not pay me my prize, and now I see on your page that you are advertising this bad contest. And I worry because I understand that you are also a cartoonist. I respectfully ask you: is it better you advertising a not serious contest or defending the right of a colleague who has been estate? Perhaps thinking of receiving an invitation for wpc of Portugal as a juror? Is this more important than ethics?.
I prefer to think that you do not received my messages last year. Please think of the many fellow cartoonists who can be deceived like me in the competition that you advertised.
WPC DO NOT PAY, BUT THREATED WINNING CARTOONIST. Is that all right or serious?
Thank you for your attention.
Best regards,
Freddy Pibaqué.

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