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Levy Fidelix | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Fidelix in 2016 | |
| PRTB National President | |
| In office 27 December 1994 – 23 April 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Aldiceia Rodrigues |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-12-27)27 December 1951 Mutum, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Died | 23 April 2021(2021-04-23) (aged 69) São Paulo, Brazil |
| Political party | PRTB (1994–2021) |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Website | www |
José Levy Fidelix da Cruz (27 December 1951 – 23 April 2021) was a Brazilian conservative politician, businessman, and journalist.[1] He was the founder of theBrazilian Labour Renewal Party (PRTB) and ran for president of Brazil in the elections of2010 and2014. He was particularly known in Brazil for his promise of building abullet train system connectingSão Paulo andRio de Janeiro (theaerotrem) and for his controversial declarations about homosexuals during a political debate in 2014.[2] Also known for being aperennial candidate, he ran for several political posts but never won one. Fidelix died around 20:00 BRT on 23 April 2021 due to COVID-19 complications.[3]
Fidelix was born in the town ofMutum, Minas Gerais on 27 December 1951 to Jarbas Fidelix, a merchant who worked in the field of transportation, and Lecy Araújo, an educator.[4] He moved toRio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil, and studiedcommunication science at theFluminense Federal University, but he did not graduate. He later became a journalist and professional advertiser.[5] Fidelix was aRoman Catholic.[6]
At the age of 24, he founded theadvertising agency Staff Publicidade and also worked as adesign director at Art&Som and Vogue Publicidade. As a journalist, he worked forCorreio da Manhã andÚltima Hora, where he revised theDiário Oficial da União.[5]
Fidelix worked for the government as a communications assistant and createdAgricultura Urgente, the first national bulletin of agriculture. ThroughAgricultura Urgente, he launched Brazil's first ecological campaign, which earned him a presidential medal. He co-founded the business magazineGoverno e Empresa and the political magazineO Poder.[5] Around 1976, he was thechief communications officer of Estanave, a company related toPetrobras.
In 1982, he foundedInterface, the first Brazilian magazine aboutinformatics. In 1983, he moved toSão Paulo, where he worked for two years as an anchorman forTV Informátika, a TV program about informatics, in which he interviewed specialists and politicians.[5]
In 1984, Fidelix co-founded theLiberal Party with Álvaro Valle. In 1986, he contested his first political election, running forState Deputy of São Paulo, and received 735 votes.
He later switched to theRenovator Labour Party and contested his second election running forFederal Deputy.[5] He received 541 votes.
In 1989 and 1990, he worked as a communications assistant forFernando Collor's presidential campaign. In 1994, he founded theBrazilian Labour Renewal Party (PRTB), the party he remained with until his death in 2021, and tried to run for president for the first time but was unable to register. He subsequently ran forMayor of São Paulo in 1996 (receiving 3,608 votes or 0.068% of the total),Governor of São Paulo in1998 (receiving 14,406 votes) and 2002 (8,654 votes),[7]Alderman of São Paulo in 2004 (3,382 votes), Federal Deputy in 2006 (5,518 votes), and Mayor of São Paulo in 2008 (receiving 0.09% of the vote).
In2010, he ran for president of Brazil for the first time and placed seventh (57,960 or 0.06% of the total).[8] He ran for Mayor of São Paulo in 2012 and again for President of Brazil in2014,[9] supporting theBrazilian military dictatorship.[10] He received 446,878 votes (0.43% of the vote), again finishing seventh; this was the closest Fidelix came during his political career to winning an election.[11]
On 29 September 2014, during a debate among candidates of the2014 presidential election hosted byRecordTV, Fidelix stated that homosexuals "need psychological care" and were better kept "well away from [the rest of] us". He also said that Brazil's population of 200 million would be reduced by half if homosexuality were encouraged because "the excretory system" does not function as a means of reproduction.[12] He was asked to apologize but refused, believing that his statements were not offensive.[13]
Fidelix's statements were condemned by opponents likeLuciana Genro (PSOL),Marina Silva (PSB),Aécio Neves (PSDB),Dilma Rousseff (PT), who later won the election, as well as organizations such asABGLT, theGreen Party, and even theMinistry of Human Rights. On the other hand, other notable conservative politicians, such asJair Bolsonaro (PP) and religious personalities, likeSilas Malafaia, declared their support for Fidelix.
On 13 March 2015,São Paulo's Court of Justice fined Fidelix with R$1 million forhate speech in his declarations.[14] The court lifted the fine on 3 February 2017[15] but imposed a revised fine of R$25,000 on 22 February.[16]
| Election | Candidate | First round | Second round | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Position | Result | Votes | % | Position | Result | ||
| 2010 | 57,960 | 0.06% | 7/9 | Lost | — | — | — | — | |
| 2014 | 446,878 | 0.43%% |  7/11 | Lost | — | — | — | — | |
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New political party | PRTB National President 1994–2021 | Succeeded by Aldiceia Rodrigues |
| New political party | PRTB nominee forMayor ofSão Paulo 1996,2008,2012,2016,2020 | Most recent |
| New political party | PRTB nominee forGovernor ofSão Paulo 1998, 2002 | Succeeded by Walter Ciglioni |
| Preceded by Edson Orloski | PRTB nominee for Vice Mayor of São Paulo 2000 | Succeeded by Marcelo Ayres Duarte |
| New political party | PRTB nominee forPresident of Brazil 2010,2014 | Most recent |