Bete Mendes
Encyclopedia
Bete Mendes is a Brazil
ian actress and politician
.
. She is the daughter of Osmar Pires de Oliveira, a Sub-Lieutenant
of the Brazilian Air Force
, and Maria Mendes de Oliveira. She acted in school plays since she was 5. However, her artistic career really began at age 15, in her hometown of Santos, in the role of bunny Naná in the play A Árvore que Andava, by Oscar Von Phull. Mendes has a degree in performing arts by the University of São Paulo
(USP), and was pursuing a degree in Sociology
when she was arrested by the political police
of the military dictatorship.
She performed by the first time in theatre with the play A Cozinha (The kitchen) on 1968. At that same year, she had a prominent role in the popular TV Tupi soap opera
Beto Rockfeller
.
, being held as prisoner for four years. Between September and October 1974, she was once again detained, this time being torture
d. She was acquitted by the Superior Tribunal Militar (Superior Military Court), being released after spending 30 days in prison. Upon her release, she decided to quit the Sociology School.
. She also supported the strikes of metalworkers in the ABC Region
, where she became familiar with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
, then a growing figure in the Brazilian political scene. Along with Lula, Mendes was one of the founding members of the Workers' Party
, by which she was elected Congresswoman for the 1983–1987 term.
On January 15, 1985, Mendes was expelled from the Workers' Party for having voted, in the Electoral college
(indirect election system), for Tancredo Neves
as President. She was re-elected for the Congress by the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, but this time she was a member of the National Constituent Assembly
.
In addition to the elective office of Congresswoman, Mendes was also Secretary of Culture in the state of São Paulo between March 15, 1987, and December 21, 1988, and president of the Fundação de Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Arts Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro) in 1999.
Mendes' rupture with the Workers' Party was only symbolic, once she supported all the presidential campaigns of Lula, including the last one, in 2006, when most artists withdrew their support for Lula due to the "Mensalão" scandal.
on an official visit to Uruguay
. On August 17, 1985, Mendes discovered that among the officers of the Brazilian Embassy in Uruguay were Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra, the man who tortured her in prison.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian actress and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Early life
Bete Mendes was born Elizabeth Mendes de Oliveira in Santos, São PauloSão Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
. She is the daughter of Osmar Pires de Oliveira, a Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
of the Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Air Force
The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
, and Maria Mendes de Oliveira. She acted in school plays since she was 5. However, her artistic career really began at age 15, in her hometown of Santos, in the role of bunny Naná in the play A Árvore que Andava, by Oscar Von Phull. Mendes has a degree in performing arts by the University of São Paulo
University of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
(USP), and was pursuing a degree in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
when she was arrested by the political police
DOI-CODI
The Destacamento de Operações de Informações - Centro de Operações de Defesa Interna was the Brazilian intelligence and repression agency during the military government . This period started on March 31, 1964 with the removal of the civilian government by military forces and ended in the 1984....
of the military dictatorship.
She performed by the first time in theatre with the play A Cozinha (The kitchen) on 1968. At that same year, she had a prominent role in the popular TV Tupi soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Beto Rockfeller
Beto Rockfeller
Beto Rockfeller is a Brazilian telenovela produced by TV Tupi and aired from November 4, 1968 to November 30, 1969. It was created by Cassiano Gabus Mendes, written by Bráulio Pedroso and directed by Lima Duarte and Walter Avancini.-Plot:...
.
Arrest
On 1970, Mendes was arrested by the DOI-CODIDOI-CODI
The Destacamento de Operações de Informações - Centro de Operações de Defesa Interna was the Brazilian intelligence and repression agency during the military government . This period started on March 31, 1964 with the removal of the civilian government by military forces and ended in the 1984....
, being held as prisoner for four years. Between September and October 1974, she was once again detained, this time being torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d. She was acquitted by the Superior Tribunal Militar (Superior Military Court), being released after spending 30 days in prison. Upon her release, she decided to quit the Sociology School.
Political career
Mendes actively participated in several social movements, such as for the professional regulation of artists (achieved in 1978) and the movement for the amnestyAmnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
. She also supported the strikes of metalworkers in the ABC Region
ABC Region
The term ABC Region is an industrial region in Greater São Paulo, Brazil.The name refers to three smaller cities bordering on São Paulo, capital of the Brazilian state of the same name. Originally, these three cities were Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, and São Caetano do Sul...
, where she became familiar with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
, then a growing figure in the Brazilian political scene. Along with Lula, Mendes was one of the founding members of the Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Brazil)
The Workers' Party is a democratic socialist political party in Brazil. Launched in 1980, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important left-wing movements of Latin America. It governs at the federal level in a coalition government with several other parties since January 1, 2003...
, by which she was elected Congresswoman for the 1983–1987 term.
On January 15, 1985, Mendes was expelled from the Workers' Party for having voted, in the Electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
(indirect election system), for Tancredo Neves
Tancredo Neves
Tancredo de Almeida Neves, SFO more commonly Tancredo Neves was a Brazilian politician. He was born in São João del Rey, in the state of Minas Gerais, of mostly Portuguese, but also Austrian descent and graduated in law. The Neves family name comes from an Azorean great great grandfather...
as President. She was re-elected for the Congress by the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, but this time she was a member of the National Constituent Assembly
National Constituent Assembly
The National Constituent Assembly was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the French Revolution. It dissolved on 30 September 1791 and was succeeded by the Legislative Assembly.-Background:...
.
In addition to the elective office of Congresswoman, Mendes was also Secretary of Culture in the state of São Paulo between March 15, 1987, and December 21, 1988, and president of the Fundação de Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Arts Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro) in 1999.
Mendes' rupture with the Workers' Party was only symbolic, once she supported all the presidential campaigns of Lula, including the last one, in 2006, when most artists withdrew their support for Lula due to the "Mensalão" scandal.
Brilhante Ustra case
When exercising her second term as congresswoman, Mendes joined the entourage of President José SarneyJosé Sarney
José Sarney de Araújo Costa is a Brazilian lawyer, writer and politician. He served as president of Brazil from 15 March 1985 to 15 March 1990....
on an official visit to Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. On August 17, 1985, Mendes discovered that among the officers of the Brazilian Embassy in Uruguay were Carlos Alberto Brilhante Ustra, the man who tortured her in prison.
Filmography
- 2006 - Brasília 18%
- 2004 - Vestido de Noiva
- 1981 - Eles Não Usam Black-tie
- 1980 - Insônia
- 1980 - J.S. Brown, o último herói
- 1979 - Os Amantes da Chuva
- 1974 - As Delícias da Vida
- 1968 - Sandra Sandra
TV shows
- 2011 - Insensato CoraçãoInsensato CoraçãoInsensato Coração is a Brazilian telenovela that first aired on Rede Globo in 2011.-Cast:* Eriberto Leão - Pedro Brandão* Gabriel Braga Nunes - Léo Brandão* Paola Oliveira - Marina Drumond* Glória Pires - Norma Pimentel Amaral...
as Zuleica Alencar - 2009 - Caras e BocasCaras e BocasCaras e Bocas is an album by Brazilian singer Gal Costa released in 1977.-Track listing:#Caras e Bocas#Me Recuso#Louca Me Chamam #Clariô#Minha Estrela É Do Oriente #Tigresa...
as Piedade Batista - 2008 - Casos e AcasosCasos e AcasosCasos e Acasos is a series of Brazilian TV Globo Network, written by Daniel Adjafre and Marcius Melhem, the general direction of Carlos Milan core of Marcos Schechtman and Jayme Monjardim...
as Hilda - 2007 - Sítio do Picapau Amarelo as Dona Benta
- 2006 - Páginas da Vida as irmã Natércia
- 2005 - AméricaAmérica (TV series)América is a Brazilian telenovela that was originally broadcast in 2005 by Rede Globo. The telenovela focused on the life of an illegal immigrant to the United States and the lives of those she left behind in Brazil. It stars Deborah Secco and Murilo Benício...
as Fátima - 2004 - Seus OlhosSeus OlhosSeus Olhos is a Brazilian soap opera produced and shown by the SBT from 18 May 2004 through 4 December 2004, with 173 chapters...
sa Edite - 2003 - A Casa das Sete Mulheres as Dona Ana Joaquina
- 2000 - Aquarela do Brasil as Olga
- 1999 - Terra NostraTerra NostraTerra Nostra is a Brazilian telenovela, which was produced by and broadcast on Rede Globo in 1999.The story is set in the late 19th century and takes place at a time when slaves were freed in Brazil and there was a need for workers, especially on the coffee fazendas of Brazil...
as Ana Esplendore - 1998 - BridaBridaBrida is a town and commune in Laghouat Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 5,742.-References:...
as Diva - 1996 - O Rei do GadoO Rei do GadoO Rei do Gado is a Brazilian telenovela that was produced and displayed by Rede Globo, 17 June 1996 to February 15, 1997, totaling 209 chapters and 130 in the original version of the SIC in Portugal.- Cast :PresentingGuest starringSpecial Appearance...
as Donana - 1994 - Pátria Minha as Zuleica
- 1994 - Memorial de Maria Moura as Maria Moura's mother
- 1994 - Quatro por QuatroQuatro por QuatroQuatro por Quatro was a Brazilian produced telenovela, shown at seven o'clock PM on the Rede Globo. It began on 24 October 1994 and ended on 22 July 1995. It consists of 233 episodes. It was written by Carlos Lombardi and directed by Ricardo Waddington, Alexandre Avancini and Luiz Henrique...
as Fatima - 1993 - O Mapa da Mina as Carmem Rocha
- 1992 - Anos Rebeldes as Carmem Damaceno
- 1990 - Lua Cheia de Amor as Emília
- 1989 - TietaTieta do AgresteTieta do Agreste is a novel written by Brazilian author Jorge Amado in 1977.In 1996, a film version was made with Sonia Braga in the role of Tieta.-Plot introduction:Antonieta returns from São Paulo to her native village of Agreste in Bahia....
as Aída - 1985 - O Tempo e o VentoO Tempo e o VentoO Tempo e o Vento is a series of novels written by the Brazilian author Erico Verissimo. Confusingly, the first part of the series, O Continente, was translated as Time and the Wind, giving the impression that it is the whole work.-Plot introduction:The series tells the story of two families -...
as Maria Valéria Terra - 1985 - De Quina pra Lua as Patrícia
- 1981 - Floradas na Serra as Elza
- 1980 - Dulcinéa Vai à Guerra as Jerusa
- 1980 - Pé de Vento as Terezinha
- 1978 - Sinal de Alerta as Vera
- 1977 - Sinhazinha Flô as Flor
- 1976 - O Casarão as Vânia
- 1975 - Bravo! as Lia di Lorenzo
- 1974 - O Rebu as Sílvia
- 1973 - Divinas & Maravilhosas as Carolina
- 1973 - A Volta de Beto Rockfeller as Renata
- 1972 - A Revolta dos Anjos as Stela
- 1972 - Na Idade do Lobo as Carina
- 1971 - Nossa Filha Gabriela as Catarina
- 1970 - O Meu Pé de Laranja Lima as Godóia
- 1970 - Simplesmente Maria as Angélica
- 1969 - Super Plá as Titina
- 1968 - Beto RockfellerBeto RockfellerBeto Rockfeller is a Brazilian telenovela produced by TV Tupi and aired from November 4, 1968 to November 30, 1969. It was created by Cassiano Gabus Mendes, written by Bráulio Pedroso and directed by Lima Duarte and Walter Avancini.-Plot:...
as Renata - 1966 - Águias de Fogo