The family feud threatening Brazil’s biggest newspaper

On March 18, journalists and employees of Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil’s largest (and arguably most respected) newspaper, received a bombshell in their email inbox. A 100-word blunt memo from Luiz Frias, owner of the newspaper’s parent company, informing them of the board’s decision to name Sérgio Dávila as the publication’s new editor-in-chief. Even more surprising than the news was how dismissive it was of the outgoing boss, none other than Mr. Frias’ own sister, Maria Cristina. She is simply described as “a shareholder who occupied the position for six months,” without the compliments that are so customary in such situations.

The move is the result of a family feud that seems to be taken straight from HBO’s series Succession and threatens the newspaper’s very existence.

The dispute between siblings is around a new ownership plan proposed by Luiz Frias, reportedly disconnecting Folha de S.Paulo from its parent company, Folha Participações, and leaving it to survive off its own depleted resources. Maria Cristina claims that she was given only one day to analyze the proposal, and it was her opposition to this maneuver that led to her firing as editorial director.

Only one week prior to her firing, Maria Cristina Frias gave an interview...