A cassette tape with a rare interview of Leonel Brizola (1922-2004) was found by his nephew, João Leonel, at the bottom of a cabinet. The audio records the Brazilian politician's first interview upon arriving in New York in 1977, a period during which he was living in exile.
To flee the Brazilian military dictatorship, Brizola had the idea of sewing the tape inside a soccer ball, hiding it to avoid discovery by the authorities. The dodge was so well planned that Brizola himself ended up forgetting where he had hidden the material over the years.
The discovery was made by João Leonel, who found the forgotten tape while organizing his uncle's belongings. The audio will be used in a film about the life of Leonel Brizola, contributing to the preservation of the historical memory of the Brazilian politician.
