Heloísa Helena (politician)
Encyclopedia
Heloísa Helena Lima de Moraes Carvalho (eloˈizɐ eˈlenɐ ˈlimɐ di moˈɾajs kaʁˈvaʎu; born June 6, 1962 in Pão de Açúcar
, Alagoas
) is a left-wing
politician
in Brazil
.
. She was also involved in the student movements against the military dictatorship
. She became a member of the left-wing Workers' Party
(PT) and a leader of Socialist Democracy
, a Trotskyist
caucus in PT.
In 1992, Helena was chosen as deputy mayor of Maceió
as part of the PT-PSB
coalition government
. In 1994, she was elected as a councilwoman in Alagoas
and in 1998 was elected to the Federal Senate
. After PT's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
won the presidency
in 2002, Heloísa became one of the strongest critics of the new government's alignment with centrist politics. After voting against the party recommendation in the Senate, she was expelled from PT in December 2003 for allegedly breaking party discipline
. She kept her seat in the Senate as an Independent
politician.
Following her expulsion, Helena and other dissident members of PT founded a new party, the Socialism and Freedom Party
(PSOL) in late 2004. She was the president of PSOL from 2004 to 2010, in addition to leading the Freedom and Revolution
faction of the party. Helena was PSOL's candidate for president in the 2006 general elections. She had 6% of the voting, obtaining almost 6.6 million votes. During the following election
, she was elected a councilwoman for Maceió, becoming the top voted candidate in the Alagoas state after achieving almost 30,000 votes.
On October 20, 2010, it was announced by the media that Heloísa had left the presidency of PSOL. The councilwoman and former senator said she decided to departure from the national presidency of the party because of its support to Workers' Party
presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff
during the second round of the 2010 election
. (In reality, the PSOL only declared "critical support" of Rousseff, stating that it only chose to do so in order to secure the defeat of "right-wing" cadidate José Serra
in the general elections, and that it would continue to oppose the centrist PT government; many members of the party, including defeated presidential candidate Plínio de Arruda Sampaio
, chose to annul their vote, refusing to support Rousseff.) In the press release, Helena made it clear that she will continue on PSOL.
At the same election, Helena unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Senate for Alagoas. Despite leading the polls for a considerable amount of time, she got 417,636 votes (16.6% of the total), finishing the race in third, behind Benedito de Lira and Renan Calheiros
.
Pão de Açúcar, Alagoas
Pão de Açúcar is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population is 26,133 and its area is 659 km²....
, Alagoas
Alagoas
Alagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
) is a left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Brazil
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...
.
Career
A trained nurse, Helena helped founding the Center of Health at the Federal University of AlagoasFederal University of Alagoas
Located in the city of Maceió, the Federal University of Alagoas is the major university in coastal state Alagoas and one of the main research centers in Brazilian north eastern region...
. She was also involved in the student movements against the military dictatorship
History of Brazil (1964-1985)
The Brazilian military government was the authoritarian regime which ruled Brazil from March 31, 1964 to March 15, 1985. It began with the 1964 coup d'état led by the Armed Forces against the democratically elected government of left-wing President João Goulart and ended when José Sarney took...
. She became a member of the left-wing 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...
(PT) and a leader of Socialist Democracy
Socialist Democracy (Brazil)
Socialist Democracy is a Trotskyist group in Brazil. Formed in 1979, DS was affiliated to the United Secretariat of the Fourth International. DS was one of the first groups to affiliate with the Workers' Party when the PT formed in 1980. The activists in Socialist Democracy hoped to transform the...
, a Trotskyist
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
caucus in PT.
In 1992, Helena was chosen as deputy mayor of Maceió
Maceió
Maceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state Alagoas, Brazil. The name "maceió" is of Indian origin, and designates the natural spontaneously courses of water which flow out of the soil...
as part of the PT-PSB
Brazilian Socialist Party
The Brazilian Socialist Party , is a political party in Brazil. It was founded in 1947, before being abolished by the military regime in 1965 and re-organized in 1985 with the re-democratization of Brazil. It elected six Governors in 2010, becoming the second largest party in number of state...
coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. In 1994, she was elected as a councilwoman in Alagoas
Alagoas
Alagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
and in 1998 was elected to the Federal Senate
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
. After PT's 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...
won the presidency
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
in 2002, Heloísa became one of the strongest critics of the new government's alignment with centrist politics. After voting against the party recommendation in the Senate, she was expelled from PT in December 2003 for allegedly breaking party discipline
Party discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
. She kept her seat in the Senate as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
politician.
Following her expulsion, Helena and other dissident members of PT founded a new party, the Socialism and Freedom Party
Socialism and Freedom Party
The Socialism and Freedom Party is a Brazilian political party . Among the party leaders are Heloísa Helena , federal deputies Luciana Genro and Babá , and a number of well-known Brazilian left-wing leaders and intellectuals, such as Milton Temer, Carlos Nelson Coutinho, Ricardo Antunes,...
(PSOL) in late 2004. She was the president of PSOL from 2004 to 2010, in addition to leading the Freedom and Revolution
Freedom and Revolution
Freedom and Revolution is a Marxist political grouping in Brazil, consisting mainly of members of the Socialist Democracy, and some former members of the Articulation of the Left, who have left or been expelled from the Workers' Party and joined the Socialism and Freedom Party...
faction of the party. Helena was PSOL's candidate for president in the 2006 general elections. She had 6% of the voting, obtaining almost 6.6 million votes. During the following election
Brazilian municipal elections, 2008
The Brazilian municipal elections of 2008 will be held on October 5 and October 26. Over 130 million voters will choose mayors and city councillors for the 5,565 municipalities of Brazil....
, she was elected a councilwoman for Maceió, becoming the top voted candidate in the Alagoas state after achieving almost 30,000 votes.
On October 20, 2010, it was announced by the media that Heloísa had left the presidency of PSOL. The councilwoman and former senator said she decided to departure from the national presidency of the party because of its support to 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...
presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
during the second round of the 2010 election
Brazilian presidential election, 2010
The Brazilian presidential election was held in 2010 with two rounds of balloting. The first round was held on October 3 along with other elections as part of the 2010 general election...
. (In reality, the PSOL only declared "critical support" of Rousseff, stating that it only chose to do so in order to secure the defeat of "right-wing" cadidate José Serra
José Serra
José Serra is a Brazilian politician, former secretary of state, congressman, senator, minister of Planning and Minister of Health, mayor of São Paulo and Governor of São Paulo state.-Background:...
in the general elections, and that it would continue to oppose the centrist PT government; many members of the party, including defeated presidential candidate Plínio de Arruda Sampaio
Plínio de Arruda Sampaio
Plínio Soares de Arruda Sampaio is an intellectual and Brazilian political activist, currently affiliated to Partido Socialismo e Liberdade and candidate for the presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil in 2010....
, chose to annul their vote, refusing to support Rousseff.) In the press release, Helena made it clear that she will continue on PSOL.
At the same election, Helena unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Senate for Alagoas. Despite leading the polls for a considerable amount of time, she got 417,636 votes (16.6% of the total), finishing the race in third, behind Benedito de Lira and Renan Calheiros
Renan Calheiros
Renan Calheiros is a Brazilian politician and former President of the Senate of Brazil. He represents the state of Alagoas in the senate for the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party....
.