Luiz Gushiken | |
|---|---|
 Luiz Gushiken in 2004 | |
| Minister of Social Communication and Strategic Management | |
| In office 1 January 2003 – 22 July 2005 | |
| President | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| Preceded by | Bob Vieira da Costa |
| Succeeded by | Luiz Tadeu Rigo |
| Workers' Party National President | |
| In office 11 December 1988 – 15 July 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Olívio Dutra |
| Succeeded by | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva |
| Federal Deputy forSão Paulo | |
| In office 1 February 1987 – 1 February 1999 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-05-08)8 May 1950 Osvaldo Cruz,São Paulo, Brazil |
| Died | 13 September 2013(2013-09-13) (aged 63) São Paulo, Brazil |
| Political party | PT (1980–2013) |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Gushiken[1] |
| Alma mater | Getulio Vargas Foundation |
| Profession | Politician, activist |
Luiz Gushiken (8 May 1950 – 13 September 2013) was a Brazilian union leader and politician. He was formerly the head of the social communication office ofLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration, a position which carried aministerial rank. He was a second-generationJapanese-Brazilian, withRyukyuan parents fromOkinawa.
In his youth he was a supporter ofO Trabalho, a party linked to the FrenchOrganisation Communiste Internationaliste (OCI). He broke with this international current to work closely with Lula in thePT. He worked atBanespa bank and was associated with unions. He was elected a federal deputy in the Congress three times, from 1987 to 1998, and was the coordinator of the presidential campaigns for Lula in 1989 and 1998.
Luiz Gushiken was born in the small town ofOsvaldo Cruz (inPresidente Prudente) and was the first-born son of seven children[2] of the photographer and violinist Shoei[3] and Setsu Gushiken,[4]Japanese immigrants fromOkinawa.[5] While he was still a young man, he moved to the city ofSão Paulo. He lived in theBrás suburb of the city and began to work as a bank clerk at theSão Paulo State Bank (Banespa), where he stayed until 1999.[6]
He began his political life as a union leader and participated intensely in the strikes of the 1980s during themilitary dictatorship.[7] He presided over the São Paulo Banker's Union from 1984 to 1986. He was arrested four times by the military regime's Department for Political and Social Order (Departamento de Ordem Política e Social orDOPS).[3] He was also one of the founders of the BrazilianWorkers' Party (PT) and theUnified Worker's Centre (CUT), in addition to being one of its leaders (he was the Workers' party's National President from 1988 to 1990).[8][9][10]
He was a member (deputado federal) of theCâmara dos Deputados do Brasil for three consecutive parliamentary terms (including in theBrazilian Constituent Assembly (1988)) from 1987 until 1999,[11] and presidential campaign coordinator forLula in 1989 and 1998. He was also the head of theSecretaria de Comunicação Social(SeCom), part of thePresidency of Brazil.[citation needed]
In 2005, Gushiken was accused - and defended himself - in ongoing lawsuits at theCourt of Accounts of the Union (Tribunal de Contas da União,TCU)and at theSupreme Federal Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal,STF). He left SeCom and lost the rank of minister, assuming the position as Chief of the Center for Strategic Affairs (Núcleo de Assuntos Estratégicos,NAE). He permanently left the government in 2006, shortly afterLula's reelection.[12]
As a union leader, he defended pension funds against the losses caused by the agreement withDaniel Dantas'Opportunity Asset Management (Banco Opportunity). Gushiken distinguished himself in his defense ofPREVI (Caixa de Previdência dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil, the pension fund for workers ofBanco do Brasil) during theprivatizations promoted by theFernando Henrique Cardoso administration, when the fund was used to incorporateconsortiums of foreign corporations in auctions of the iron and steel, electric and telephone service sectors.[7]
He was the target of relentless media campaigns,[13] suffering frequent accusations - none of which were ever proven - related to the use of SeCom funds. Out of office, his house came under malicious attacks and came to be wrongly included in the AP 470 (the Mensalão Scandal criminal lawsuit) by theattorney GeneralAntonio Fernando de Souza - who would come to win aBrasil Telecom mega contract, controlled by Daniel Dantas and which entered into the creation ofOi-Telemar.[14]
Gushiken was accused of being part of a cash-for-votes scandal, known as theMensalão Scandal, after which he was demoted and left the government soon thereafter. Later he was acquitted from all accusations in the AP 470 criminal lawsuit, in a verdict from theSupreme Federal Court decided in 2012, due to lack of evidence from his role in the scandal. Ex-Minister of the Supreme Federal CourtJosé Dirceu later commented that Gushiken's indictment was "one of the great injustices of the [Mensalão scandal]" and "with no regard for the presumption of innocence".[15] Notwithstanding, the press was no less brutal in its remorseless campaign against all of those who were indicted in the scandal, with no formal apology being made for the rash and misguided conclusions of reporters.[citation needed]
Gushiken died on 13 September 2013, at the age of 63 whilst admitted toHospital Sírio-Libanês in critical condition, due togastric cancer from which he had suffered since 2002.[16] During treatment of his illness, Gushiken spent most of his time in hisIndaiatuba country house (orchácara), in upstateSão Paulo. He would only leave his country retreat every two weeks to receivechemotherapy treatment.[citation needed]
A formerBuddhist,Rosicrucian andUmbandist, he also adhered toCabala andZen Buddhist beliefs, even maintaining close contact with theBaháʼí Faith throughout his life (of which members of his family have been followers for many years).[17] Prior to his death, he formally declared himself a Baháʼí, and his body was buried in aBaháʼí funeral at Redentor Cemetery in São Paulo on 14 September 2013.[citation needed]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bob Vieira da Costa | Minister of Social Communication and Strategic Management 2003–2005 | Succeeded by Luiz Tadeu Rigo |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Workers' Party National President 1988–1990 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
