Ciro Gomes

Ciro Ferreira Gomes (born 6 November 1957), known mononymously as Ciro, is a Brazilian politician, lawyer, and academic. Identified as a centre-left politician, national-developmentalist, social democrat and labourist, Ciro is currently affiliated and vice-president of the Democratic Labour Party (PDT), although he has been a member of a variety of parties during his political career.

Ciro Gomes
Federal Deputy for Ceará
In office 1 February 2007 – 1 February 2011
Minister of National Integration
In office 1 January 2003 – 31 March 2006
President	Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Preceded by	Luciano Barbosa
Succeeded by	Pedro Brito
Minister of Finance
In office 6 September 1994 – 1 January 1995
President	Itamar Franco
Preceded by	Rubens Ricupero
Succeeded by	Pedro Malan
52nd Governor of Ceará
In office 15 March 1991 – 6 September 1994
Vice Governor	Lúcio Alcântara
Preceded by	Tasso Jereissati
Succeeded by	Francisco Aguiar
43rd Mayor of Fortaleza
In office 1 January 1989 – 2 April 1990
Vice Mayor	Juraci Magalhães
Preceded by	Maria Luíza Fontenele
Succeeded by	Juraci Magalhães
State Deputy of Ceará
In office 1 February 1983 – 1 January 1989
Personal details
Born	6 November 1957 Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, Brazil
Political party	PDS (1982–1983) PMDB (1983–1990) PSDB (1990–1997) PPS (1997–2005) PSB (2005–2013) PROS (2013–2015) PDT (2015–present)
Spouse(s)	Patrícia Saboya ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 1999)​ Patrícia Pillar ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2012)​ Giselle Bezerra ​ (m. 2017)​
Alma mater	Federal University of Ceará

Born in São Paulo but raised in Ceará into a political family, Ciro began his political career at the age of 24 in 1984. Ciro was elected Mayor of Fortaleza at age of 30 in 1988 and was elected Governor of Ceará at the age of 32 in 1990. During his tenure, Ciro was the most popular Governor in the country.[1] His Viva Criança program that reduced infant mortality in Ceará by 32% was given an international award by UNICEF.[2] His success in Ceará led to his appointment as federal Minister of Finance by President Itamar Franco, where he presided over Real Plan that helped stabilize the economy and end hyperinflation.

Ciro ran for President of Brazil twice in a row as a nominee from Popular Socialist Party (PPS), in 1998 and 2002, coming in third and fourth place, respectively. In both Ciro presented himself as a critical of Fernando Henrique Cardoso presidency's economic policy and attempted to be a centre-left alternative to petista candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Following the 2002 election, Ciro was appointed by President Lula as a Minister of National Integration, where he was tasked with regional development and led the project of the interbasin transfer of the São Francisco River. In 2006, Ciro was elected federal deputy from Ceará.

In 2018, Ciro announced his long-awaited third campaign for the presidency as a nominee from Democratic Labour Party. Running on a platform that included a public credit debt refinancing, a progressive tax system with dividend tax,[3] increased state funding for education and healthcare,[4] and the creation of a federal agency tasked with defending LGBTQ rights,[5] Ciro tried to portray himself as an alternative between the polarization among petista candidate Fernando Haddad and right candidate Jair Bolsonaro. Though he polled better than Haddad in a hypothetical second round versus Bolsonaro,[6] he did not make the second round, ending up in third place. Following Bolsonaro's victory, many argued that Ciro would have won if he had been nominated by a large centre-left coalition.[7]

Described as having "one of the sharpest tongues in Brazilian politics", Ciro's public image has been characterized by his outspoken personality, receiving him both praise and criticism.[6][8] Ciro is currently one of the main opposers of Jair Bolsonaro's presidency, accussing Bolsonaro and his sons Flávio, Carlos and Eduardo of militia and also comparing Bolsonaro to Adolf Hitler.[9][10][11] Ciro was also opposer of Michel Temer's presidency, defining the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff as a "coup" and accusing both Temer and Eduardo Cunha of corruption.[12] Ciro also became a opposer of São Paulo wing of his former party Brazilian Social Democracy Party, in particularly José Serra and João Doria.[13][14]

Early life

Ciro was born in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, the son of José Euclides Ferreira Gomes Filho and Maria José Ferreira Gomes in 1957. His family moved to Sobral, Ceará in 1962. His father's family, the Ferreira Gomes family, has been active in Ceará politics for several generations.

Ciro enrolled in the Law School of the Federal University of Ceará in 1976.[15] Ciro later recalled that within the student movements of the time, he was most closely affiliated with the Catholic Left.[16] Upon graduation, Ciro returned to the city of Sobral, to work for the local government as a municipal prosecutor.[17]

State political career

State politics

Ciro ran for office for the first time in 1982, as a State Deputy representing Sobral, and won; he began his first term in February 1983.[18] Ciro attracted substantial media attention early on for his willingness to debate national political questions - including democracy, social reforms, and international relations - which he said other Ceará politicians ignored.[19] In 1985, Ciro also started teaching tax law as a professor at the University of Fortaleza.[20]

In 1988, Ciro was elected Mayor of Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará, and began his term the next year. As Mayor of Fortaleza, endorsed centre-left candidate Mário Covas in the first round of the 1989 presidential election and socialist candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round.[21]

Governor of Ceará

Ciro was elected the Governor of Ceará in 1990, at the age of 32, becoming the second youngest governor in the country at the time.[22] His efforts included policies to support small businesses and reduce bureaucracy.[23] He also cracked down on tax evasion, increasing state revenue. Ciro also ordered increased investments in education and in public health; by July 1992, a Datafolha poll found he was the most popular governor in Brazil, with a 74% approval rate,[24] and Time magazine listed him as one of the 100 most important emerging leaders on the world stage.[25]

One of his most high-profile achievements as governor was the construction of a 71-mile long water canal, the "Canal do Trabalhador." Northeastern Brazil suffered a series of droughts in 1991, 1992, and 1993; in 1993, Ciro managed to organize and complete the construction of the canal in only 3 months, successfully bringing water to the capital city of Fortaleza and thus preventing a water supply crisis.[26]

Ciro' "Programa Viva Criança" public health program was attributed with a 32% decrease in infant mortality in the state, and was awarded the Maurice Paté prize by UNICEF.[2]

National political career

Minister of Finance

In 1994 he served as Minister of Finance in the administration of Itamar Franco. This appointment came at a crucial time in Brazil's modern economic development, when the Real Plan was underway as an economic stabilization program to fight hyperinflation. His successful performance overseeing the Real Plan was credited by some with helping Fernando Henrique Cardoso win the subsequent presidential election in the fall of 1994, after Cardoso campaigned on continuing the plan's implementation. However, Ciro would break with the Cardoso government in 1997.[27]

1998 presidential candidacy

Map of the 1998 Brazilian presidential election. Ciro only managed to win his home state of Ceará.

A founding member of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Ciro would leave the party, which was originally centre-left, in 1997 following its right turn. Ciro would join the Socialist People's Party (PPS) in opposition to the Cardoso administration, and ran as a member of the party for president in 1998 with Roberto Freire as his running mate. During the campaign, Ciro attempted to position himself as a left alternative to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a staple of the Brazilian left who had run for president twice prior to 1998 as a member of the Workers' Party (PT).

The centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB), a kingmaker in Brazilian politics, considered supporting his candidacy, but did not end up doing so.[28] In the end, Ciro came in third place in the first round, and won 11% of the vote (only the top two candidates advance to the second round). The sole state he won was Ceará, his home state.

2002 presidential candidacy and aftermath

During the 2002 presidential election, Ciro looked to be formidable, even passing PSDB candidate José Serra, the main centre-right candidate, at one point in the polls.[29] However, a series of gaffes, most notable a crass joke about his wife Patrícia Pillar,[30] led to his collapse in the polls, and Ciro came in fourth place in the first round, with 12% of the vote.[31] He supported Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the 2002 election, and was ultimately chosen to be the Minister for National Integration in Lula's new government.[32]

Minister of National Integration Ciro Gomes with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2005.

When the PPS' leadership voted to leave the governing coalition in December 2004 that propped up Lula's government, Ciro chose to remain in his post. As a result, the PPS removed him from the party leadership, and he decided to join the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) in 2005. In 2006 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies with 16.19% of the vote, the highest percentage ever achieved by a single candidate in a proportional election.[33]

He has been publicly critical of the efforts to impeach Dilma Rousseff and prosecute of Lula.[34]

2018 presidential election

Having passed on a presidential campaign in 2010, Ciro announced his long-awaited third bid for the presidency in the 2018 presidential election as the candidate of the PDT. For the position of Vice President, Ciro chose Kátia Abreu, a centre former Minister of Agriculture, as his running mate.

Logo used during Ciro's 2018 presidential campaign.

Political analysts had widely speculated that, since Lula was legally barred from running for president (after his conviction for corruption, under Brazil's "Ficha Limpa" law), Ciro would attract many of Lula's supporters in the 2018 presidential election, and potentially unite a number of left and center-left political parties.[35] His main contender for the left vote was Fernando Haddad, the former Mayor of São Paulo, running as a member of the Workers' Party (PT) with Lula's backing. Polling showed that Ciro would have performed better versus Bolsonaro in the second round than Haddad would have.

While Ciro polled competitively throughout most of the election, Lula's endorsement of Haddad rallied enough of his former voters to support Haddad.[36] As a result, Ciro finished in third place in the first round, only coming in first place in his home state of Ceará.

In the second round, Ciro announced his opposition to right-wing rival Jair Bolsonaro, who he describes as a "fascist" for his pro-military rule statements,[37] but did not formally endorse Haddad.[38] Following the election of Bolsonaro over Haddad, a number of major left figures including Governor Rui Costa of Bahia, a member of the PT, indicated they regret supporting Haddad over Ciro.[39]

Personal life

Ciro has lived in Ceará for most of his life, graduating with a degree in law from the Federal University of Ceará.[40] He was a professor of tax law and constitutional law, and wrote three books on political economy: "No País dos Conflitos" ("In the Country of Conflicts", 1994); "O Próximo Passo – Uma Alternativa Prática ao Neoliberalismo" ("The Next Step - A Practical Alternative to Neoliberalism", 1995), co-authored with Harvard professor Roberto Mangabeira Unger; and "Um Desafio Chamado Brasil" ("A Challenge Called Brazil," 2002).

Ciro with his girlfriend Giselle Bezerra.

He was also a visiting researcher at Harvard Law School.[41] He served in the private sector as the President of Transnordestina S/A (a commodities transportation company in Northeastern Brazil), and on the Board of Directors of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional.[42] Two of his four siblings (Cid Gomes and Ivo Gomes), his father, and his uncle, have all been involved in Brazilian politics.

He was married to his first wife, politician Patrícia Saboya, from 1983 to 1999, with whom he has three children: Lívia, Ciro and Yuri.[43] Like her husband, Patricia Saboya Gomes was also politically active in the Northeastern state of Ceara, including serving as a Federal Deputy and a Senator for the state; the two were seen as political allies. From 1999 to 2011, Ciro was married Brazilian actress Patrícia Pillar.[44] In 2013, he began a relationship with Zara Castro, with whom he had his fourth child, Gael, in 2015.[45] Ciro is the godfather of his advisor Roberto Mangabeira Unger's eldest child, Gabriel.[46]

Since 2017, his girlfriend has been TV producer Giselle Bezerra; she was previously a dancer on the popular Brazilian TV show Xuxa.[47]

Awards

• Medal of Merit for Defense (Order of Great Cross), awarded by the President, on November 21, 2003.[48]
• Juscelino Kubitscheck Medal (Highest Order), awarded by the Governor of Minas Gerais, 1997.[48]
• World Prize from UNICEF - Maurice Pate Leadership for Children Award, 1993.

Published works

He has written four books:

• No País dos Conflitos (1994) - co-authored with Miriam Leitão.
• O Próximo Passo – Uma Alternativa Prática ao Neoliberalismo (1996) - co-authored with Roberto Mangabeira Unger.
• Um Desafio Chamado Brasil (2002) - a collection of op-eds written for the newspapers O Estado de S. Paulo and Jornal da Tarde between 1995 and 1999.
• Projeto Nacional: O Dever Da Esperança (2020)

See also

• List of mayors of Fortaleza

References

1. "Folha de S.Paulo - Governo Ciro Gomes é aprovado por 74% - 7/9/1994". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
2. ":: Memória Roda Viva - www.rodaviva.fapesp.br ::". www.rodaviva.fapesp.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-11.
3. "BRAZIL: Candidate Ciro Gomes Defends Tax On Large Financial Transactions". RTTNews. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
4. "Ciro Gomes: Brasil's best chance for a developmentalist left turn?". Brasil Wire. 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
5. Minervino, Tiago. "Ciro Gomes promete criar Secretaria Nacional para a Cidadania LGBT e combater a homofobia" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-27.
6. S, Matt; June 21, y |; 2018. "AQ INTERVIEW: Ciro Gomes: "Brazil Cannot Endure a Leftist Government"". Americas Quarterly. Retrieved 2020-12-26.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
7. "Um ano depois das eleições: "devíamos ter apoiado o Ciro Gomes"". Plataforma TodosComCiro (in Portuguese). 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
8. "Ciro Gomes responde a 80 processos por danos morais no Ceará, diz jornal". Poder360 (in Portuguese). 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
9. "Ciro compara Hitler a Bolsonaro: 'pelo menos era um intelectual razoável'". Poder360 (in Portuguese). 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
10. Minas, Estado de (2020-08-20). "Carlos Bolsonaro volta a ironizar Ciro Gomes nas redes sociais". Estado de Minas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-26.
11. "Ciro Gomes troca provocações com Carlos Bolsonaro no Twitter". ISTOÉ Independente (in Portuguese). 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
12. "Em vídeo, Ciro Gomes chama Cunha de "câncer" e Temer de cúmplice: "todo mundo sabia"". InfoMoney (in Portuguese). 2015-11-04. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
13. "Ciro Gomes: Eu morro dizendo que o Serra odeia pobre - 14/10/2016 - Piauí - TV Folha - Folha de S.Paulo". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
14. "'O Serra tá parecendo um Nosferatu'". BR Político (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-26.
15. "Comentarista esportivo, Ciro Gomes defende Scolari e critica protestos contra Copa - Notícias - UOL Copa do Mundo 2014". UOL Copa do Mundo 2014 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-10.
16. ":: Memória Roda Viva - www.rodaviva.fapesp.br ::". www.rodaviva.fapesp.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-10.
17. "Época - NOTÍCIAS - Os incômodos do passado". revistaepoca.globo.com. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
18. "Época - EDG ARTIGO IMPRIMIR - ENTREVISTA: Ciro no ataque". revistaepoca.globo.com. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
19. Brasil, CPDOC - Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação História Contemporânea do. "Ciro Ferreira Gomes | CPDOC - Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil". CPDOC - Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-10.
20. "Folha de S.Paulo - Rumo a 2002: Ciro foi professor de direito tributário e contabilidade - 15/10/1999". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
21. "Ciro Gomes". epoca.globo.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
22. "Governadores mais jovens da história voltam a disputar cargos em 2002". Imirante (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-11.
23. "Folha de S.Paulo - Raio - X". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
24. "Folha de S.Paulo - Governo Ciro Gomes é aprovado por 74% - 7/9/1994". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
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26. "Ex-Governadores 8 - Gabinete do Governador do Estado do Ceará". Gabinete do Governador do Estado do Ceará (in Portuguese). 2011-03-21. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
27. "Folha de S.Paulo - 'Não converso com FHC', diz Ciro Gomes - 14/09/97". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
28. "Folha de S.Paulo - Partido pode apoiar Ciro Gomes - 30/6/1998". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
29. "A fortaleza de Lula". revista piauí (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-12-26.
30. "Em evento, Ciro diz que comentário sobre ex-mulher foi 'maior erro' de sua vida". ISTOÉ Independente (in Portuguese). 2018-03-09. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
31. http://www.justicaeleitoral.jus.br/arquivos/tse-relarorio-resultado-eleicoes-2002
32. "ISTOÉ Gente". www.terra.com.br. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
33. "Folha Online - Brasil - Ciro Gomes tem maior votação proporcional para deputado federal no país - 02/10/2006". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
34. "Ciro Gomes acusa Michel Temer de ser 'capitão do golpe'". Minas Gerais (in Portuguese). 2015-12-05. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
35. Kerche, Fabio. "Brazilian candidate still crushing his rivals from jail". The Conversation. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
36. "Subscribe to read | Financial Times". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2020-12-26. Cite uses generic title (help)
37. Araujo, Pedro Zambarda de. "Ciro Gomes sobre Bolsonaro: "como todo fascista, [ele] tem dificuldade de lidar com antagonismo"". Diário do Centro do Mundo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-10.
38. "Ciro Gomes sinaliza apoio a Haddad e diz que tem uma certeza: "ele não, sem dúvida"". InfoMoney (in Portuguese). 2018-10-07. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
39. "Um ano depois das eleições: "devíamos ter apoiado o Ciro Gomes"". Plataforma TodosComCiro (in Portuguese). 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
40. "Conheça os Deputados". Portal da Câmara dos Deputados (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-05-20.
41. "Folha de S.Paulo - Ciro Gomes em Harvard; Anistia Internacional; Comunidade de língua portuguesa; Bocejo do papa; Redação da Fuvest; Únicos, mas diferentes; A miséria bate à porta; Por São Paulo - 25/1/1995". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
42. Rizério, Lara. "Ciro Gomes será o mais novo empregado da CSN, diz jornal". www.infomoney.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-05-20.
43. "VEJA Mulher". 2014-09-24. Archived from the original on 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
44. Gente, iG (2012-01-24). "Patrícia Pillar e Ciro Gomes estão separados desde final de 2011 - Home - iG". Gente (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-01-31.
45. "Pré-candidato à Presidência do Brasil é flagrado em app de paquera. Quem? – Glamurama". Pré-candidato à Presidência do Brasil é flagrado em app de paquera. Quem? – Glamurama (in Portuguese). 2016-07-27. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
46. "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
47. Entretenimento, Portal Uai (2017-09-28). "Nova namorada de Ciro Gomes é ex-bailarina de Xuxa". Portal Uai Entretenimento (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-06-10.
48. "Ciro Ferreira Gomes". www.fiec.org.br. Archived from the original on 2018-02-22. Retrieved 2018-05-22.

External links

• Ciro Gomes on Twitter
• Official website
• Portuguese Wikipedia entry on Ciro Gomes