São Paulo – Journalist Joel Santos Guimarães, one of the creators of the Brazil Arab News Agency (ANBA) project, passed away on Sunday (23) in Ubatuba, on the coast of São Paulo. Guimarães developed and presented the idea for ANBA to the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) alongside journalist and then-wife Paula Quental, through their content agency Meios, which they owned at the time.
ANBA was launched in 2003 by the ABCC with the goal of promoting communication between Brazil and Arab countries. The agency was under Guimarães’ editorial management for ten years, during which it won 11 web journalism awards and was ranked as the third most awarded news agency in Brazil in the Jornalistas & Cia ranking of the most awarded media outlets.
The total focus on reporting was the foundation for ANBA to carve out its space in digital journalism and establish itself as one of the main sources on Brazil-Arab relations. “Guimarães was passionate about reporting and motivated us to pursue stories, conduct thorough investigations, and secure great sources. I believe all of us who were part of ANBA’s journalism team at the time learned a lot from him. Guimarães leaves behind great admiration,” says Marina Sarruf, the ABCC’s Marketing Manager, who was a reporter at ANBA.
Specializing in Economics, Politics, and Agribusiness, Guimarães had a prominent career in Brazilian journalism. He worked at several publications, including Diário do Comércio, Jornal de Londrina, Jornal da Tarde, and O Globo. At O Globo, Joel Santos Guimarães spent over 20 years in various roles, including serving as chief editor of the São Paulo bureau.
Guimarães passed away at the age of 73 due to a heart attack, after facing health issues for several years. Although he spent most of his journalism career in São Paulo, in recent years he lived in Brasília and Ubatuba, alongside his children. He is survived by his four adult children, Cynthia Covezzi dos Santos, Leonardo Lenin Covezzi dos Santos, Maíra Covezzi dos Santos, and Nara Quental Ferreira dos Santos Guimarães, as well as three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
The wake will take place on Monday (24) starting at 8 a.m. at Velório João Maria da Silva in the Ipiranguinha neighborhood (Rua da Assembleia, 114) in Ubatuba. The burial will be at 3 p.m. at Cemitério Bela Vista, located on Rua Frei Tarcísio Correia, s/n, also in Ubatuba.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
