Marcelo Crivella
Encyclopedia
Marcello Bezerra Crivella (Rio de Janeiro
, October 9, 1957) is a Brazil
ian politician
, gospel singer, and a bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
, a Protestant
denomination. In 2002, he was elected as a Senator
in the federal government of Brazil
for the state of Rio de Janeiro
on a Liberal Party
ticket. Crivella is nephew of the Edir Macedo
, founder of the neopentecostal Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
(UCKG).
Married, graduated in Civil Engineering from Universidade Santa Ursula, Crivella became known for planning and execution of the Projeto Nordeste, a charitable movement that was intended to make productive the lands that were abandoned by the Brazilian federal government, in the Irecê
city. The project became viable in that region the agricultural and livestock
development, based on Israeli irrigation that Crivella has observed in his several trips to Israel.
, with Catholics parents, Crivella attended the Methodist Church
in his youth. His connection with his uncle, Edir Macedo, made them try an unsuccessful commercial partnership, before he to be invited in 1977, to work in the newly created Universal Church
. Soon he became pastor and bishop, having worked ten years diffusing the Universal Church in the African continent.
Crivella is a dexterous preacher, attracting crowds in cult executed by the Universal Church. His religious preaching is also conveyed by radio.
The musical production of Crivella, as singer and composer, became one of the main exponents of the gospel genre in Brazil, with 14 disks, selling over than 5 millions of copies; his biggest success was O Mensageiro da Solidariedade (The Messenger of Solidarity). The albums was recorded by the Line Records
, where Crivella was considered the principal artist, and by the Sony Music
.
Crivella is the author of the books Histórias de Sabedoria e Humildade, a collection of moral and religious tales, and Um Sonho que se Tornou Realidade, which is about the Projeto Nordeste
, for a mandate for the period 2003-2011.
Crivella also ran for governor of Rio de Janeiro state in 2006 and for mayor of the capital in 2004 and 2008.
In 2004 was the second in the dispute in the Rio de Janeiro municipal election, but he did not succeed to go to the second round against César Maia
. According Crivella, he has suffered persecution by the O Globo
newspaper, which published several matters accusing him of fraud.
In 2006, he was candidate to the state government of Rio de Janeiro, supported by the President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, and most of the time appointed by electoral research as the second most votes intents. In the last week before the election, however, was exceeded by the candidate of the PPS
, Denise Frossard
, and eventually stayed out of the runoff.
Participated in the fourth direct election in 2008, by the office of mayor of the state capital, but came in 3rd place in the 1st round
, accused of being illegal immigrants.
One of the party founders, Crivella said that the party is nearer to the left
than Neoliberalism
. In a speech in the Senate, Crivella saluted the PCdoB
(Communist Party of Brazil), saying that the Gospel
contain teachings of Communism
.
In response to the cover story of Veja
magazine about the influence of Darwin
, Crivella said that he is creationist
and rejects the theory of evolution
. The Senator affirmed that "there is no conclusive proofs that[...] one specie could generate other specie
". He also said that does not exist fossil with feature of distinct animal kingdoms
, as "beings half amphibian and half bird or fish".
Crivella is in favor of public policies on family planning
through sex education
and sterilization, and the Law on Biosafety
, which regulates research with stem cell
s.
(UCKG) is a frequent target of criticism. The church is accused of electioneering for the Crivella, which is an electoral crime in Brazil. The strategy of Crivella has being to seek independence towards the church, to reach voters who are not members of the UCKG.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, October 9, 1957) is a 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...
ian politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, gospel singer, and a bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
, a Protestant
Protestantism in Brazil
Protestantism in Brazil was first practiced by Huguenot travelers in attempts to colonize the country while it was under the Portuguese colonial rule. These attempts, however, would not persist. A French mission sent by John Calvin was established in 1557, in one of the islands of Guanabara Bay,...
denomination. In 2002, he was elected as a Senator
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
in the federal government of 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...
for the state of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
on a Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Brazil)
The Liberal Party was a conservative political party of Brazil, merged in the Republic Party. The Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus had been taking part in Brazilian elections through PL, but the church has now partially left it to create a new centrist party named Partido Republicano Brasileiro...
ticket. Crivella is nephew of the Edir Macedo
Edir Macedo
Edir Macedo Bezerra is a Brazilian religious leader. Macedo was raised Catholic, but by 1970 was a Pentecostal. He founded the "Neo-Pentecostal" Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil in 1977....
, founder of the neopentecostal Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
(UCKG).
Married, graduated in Civil Engineering from Universidade Santa Ursula, Crivella became known for planning and execution of the Projeto Nordeste, a charitable movement that was intended to make productive the lands that were abandoned by the Brazilian federal government, in the Irecê
Irecê
- Notable features :It is the home of the "Academia Ireceense de Letras e Artes." It was also the site the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God chose for an industrial kibbutz. It is an agricultural town known for growing black beans and being a wine producing region.- Government :Their current...
city. The project became viable in that region the agricultural and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
development, based on Israeli irrigation that Crivella has observed in his several trips to Israel.
Personal life
Born in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, with Catholics parents, Crivella attended the Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
in his youth. His connection with his uncle, Edir Macedo, made them try an unsuccessful commercial partnership, before he to be invited in 1977, to work in the newly created Universal Church
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
. Soon he became pastor and bishop, having worked ten years diffusing the Universal Church in the African continent.
Crivella is a dexterous preacher, attracting crowds in cult executed by the Universal Church. His religious preaching is also conveyed by radio.
The musical production of Crivella, as singer and composer, became one of the main exponents of the gospel genre in Brazil, with 14 disks, selling over than 5 millions of copies; his biggest success was O Mensageiro da Solidariedade (The Messenger of Solidarity). The albums was recorded by the Line Records
Line Records
Line Records is a Brazilian gospel record label and it belongs to Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Was founded in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992 with the intent to tend the gospel music demand.-Artists:*Adilson Silva*Adriana Ferreira*Adriana Marques...
, where Crivella was considered the principal artist, and by the Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
.
Crivella is the author of the books Histórias de Sabedoria e Humildade, a collection of moral and religious tales, and Um Sonho que se Tornou Realidade, which is about the Projeto Nordeste
Political history
Induced by the bishop Macedo, Marcelo Crivella entered to the political life, postulating for the position of Senator in the 2002 elections. Crivella was elected as Sergio Cabral FilhoSérgio Cabral Filho
Sérgio de Oliveira Cabral Santos Filho , is a Brazilian politician and journalist.In the 2006 Brazilian general elections, he was elected governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro; he was sworn into office on January 1, 2007....
, for a mandate for the period 2003-2011.
Crivella also ran for governor of Rio de Janeiro state in 2006 and for mayor of the capital in 2004 and 2008.
In 2004 was the second in the dispute in the Rio de Janeiro municipal election, but he did not succeed to go to the second round against César Maia
Cesar Maia
César Epitácio Maia is a Brazilian politician, notable for having been elected three times for mayor of Rio de Janeiro.A native of Rio, born in 1945, Maia was forced to leave Brazil in exile during the 1960s on account of his affiliation with the Brazilian Communist Party...
. According Crivella, he has suffered persecution by the O Globo
O Globo
O Globo is a Brazilian newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. O Globo is the most prominent print publication in the Marinho family's Brazilian media conglomerate....
newspaper, which published several matters accusing him of fraud.
In 2006, he was candidate to the state government of Rio de Janeiro, supported by the President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, and most of the time appointed by electoral research as the second most votes intents. In the last week before the election, however, was exceeded by the candidate of the PPS
Socialist People's Party (Brazil)
The Socialist People's Party is a political party in Brazil.It was founded in 1992, after the Brazilian Communist Party decided to rename itself the Socialist People's Party as part of a political realignment following the collapse of the Soviet Union.The PPS was a part of the coalition government...
, Denise Frossard
Denise Frossard
Denise Frossard Loschi is a judge and politician from Brazil. She studied law and served as a magistrate in Rio de Janeiro. She has been a law professor at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation...
, and eventually stayed out of the runoff.
Participated in the fourth direct election in 2008, by the office of mayor of the state capital, but came in 3rd place in the 1st round
Parliamentary conduct
In the Brazilian Senate, Crivella has as a brand to work with the Brazilian diaspora. He was president of the Subcomissão Permanente de Proteção dos Cidadãos Brasileiros no Exterior (Permanent Subcommittee on Protection of Brazilian Citizens Abroad), subject to the Comissão de Relações Exteriores e Defesa Nacional (Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense), which Crivella was vice president. One of his targets was the detention for an indefinite period of Brazilian citizens in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, accused of being illegal immigrants.
Personal convictions
Marcelo Crivella is reputed as a politician of conservative orientation. However, the Senator is a great ally of the President Lula, and his party is part of the base of support to government. Crivella supports the legalization of abortion and opposed to projects like the civil union of homosexuals and the criminalization of homophobia. He clarified, after protests by activists, that he fears inadvertent consequences of the law against homophobia, but is contrary to homophobic violence.One of the party founders, Crivella said that the party is nearer to the left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
than Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
. In a speech in the Senate, Crivella saluted the PCdoB
Communist Party of Brazil
The Communist Party of Brazil is a political party in Brazil. It has national reach and deep penetration in the trade union and students movements. PCdoB dispute with the Brazilian Communist Party the title of "oldest political party in Brazil"...
(Communist Party of Brazil), saying that the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
contain teachings of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
.
In response to the cover story of Veja
Veja (magazine)
Veja is a Brazilian weekly newsmagazine published in São Paulo and distributed throughout the country by the media conglomerate Grupo Abril. It is the leading weekly publication in the country, and one of the most influential outlets of the Brazilian press...
magazine about the influence of Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, Crivella said that he is creationist
Creationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
and rejects the theory of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
. The Senator affirmed that "there is no conclusive proofs that
Macroevolution
Macroevolution is evolution on a scale of separated gene pools. Macroevolutionary studies focus on change that occurs at or above the level of species, in contrast with microevolution, which refers to smaller evolutionary changes within a species or population.The process of speciation may fall...
". He also said that does not exist fossil with feature of distinct animal kingdoms
Transitional fossil
A transitional fossil is any fossilized remains of a lifeform that exhibits characteristics of two distinct taxonomic groups. A transitional fossil is the fossil of an organism near the branching point where major individual lineages diverge...
, as "beings half amphibian and half bird or fish".
Crivella is in favor of public policies on family planning
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
through sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
and sterilization, and the Law on Biosafety
Biosafety
Biosafety: prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health .Biosafety is related to several fields:*In ecology ,...
, which regulates research with stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
s.
Criticisms
The intimate connection between Marcelo Crivella and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of GodUniversal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
(UCKG) is a frequent target of criticism. The church is accused of electioneering for the Crivella, which is an electoral crime in Brazil. The strategy of Crivella has being to seek independence towards the church, to reach voters who are not members of the UCKG.