Alceu Collares (), 97, governor of Rio Grande do Sul from 1991 to 1995, died in the early hours of this Tuesday (24). He was the only black person to hold the position.
Collares died as a result of worsening pneumonia. He had been hospitalized since December 16 at Hospital Mãe de Deus, in Porto Alegre. Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema. He left a wife and two children.
The current governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite (PSDB), declared official mourning for three days. The wake will be held from Wednesday (25) at Palácio Piratini, headquarters of the government of Rio Grande do Sul.
“His legacy of fighting for social justice, for workers’ rights, for education, with the construction of Cieps, a pioneering full-time school action, and for the development of Rio Grande do Sul, will continue as an inspiration for all of us”, said the governor on his social networks.
President Lula, on his social networks, classified Collares as “one of the great Brazilian politicians”.
“Gaúcho de Bagé, was the only black governor of Rio Grande do Sul and one of the founders of the PDT alongside Leonel Brizola. Always defending workers and labor causes in the country, Collares leaves a great legacy for Brazil. My condolences to family and admirers of this great Brazilian”, declared the president.
The former president () stated that the country and Rio Grande do Sul “have lost a great politician, who led an honorable life, of respect and of fighting for the people’s rights”. Collares was the first politician to nominate the PT member to a position in the first level of public administration, in the City Hall of Porto Alegre (RS).
“And I lose a generous friend, with whom I had the privilege of living and working. Collares leaves a legacy of achievements and will be greatly missed in Brazilian politics”, declared the former president, on her social networks
The national president of the PDT, minister Carlos Lupi (Social Security), mourned the death and said he was saying goodbye to “a dear friend and partner in so many battles in the PDT”.
“He was an example of courage and dedication to social justice, and I had the privilege of living alongside him through remarkable moments in the fight for a fairer Brazil,” Lupi wrote on her social media.
Son of a poor family from Bagé (RS), Collares worked as a greengrocer, newspaper distributor and postman at the Post Office before graduating in law from UFRGS in 1958. It was during college that he joined the former PTB, for which he was elected councilor. of Porto Alegre in 1962, his first elected position.
During , he joined the MDB, the only opposition party authorized during the regime. He was a federal deputy between 1971 and 1983, a period in which he criticized the concentration of income in the country, freedom of association and the reestablishment of rights.
In 1985, he was elected mayor of Porto Alegre, a position he used as, in his words, “a platform to denounce the illegitimacy of the mandate of President José Sarney”, who assumed the Presidency due to the death before taking office of Tancredo Neves, of who was vice.
In April 1988, he accused Sarney of discrimination due to the cancellation of the transfer of federal funds to Porto Alegre.
As mayor, he was the first to . She was municipal secretary of Finance. She was also chosen by Collares to head the State Secretariat of Energy, Mines and Communications during the pedetista’s management. Subsequently, the .
In 1990, he won the dispute for Palácio Paratini against Nelson Marchezan (PDS). During the Fernando Collor government, he followed the guidance of PDT leader Leonel Brizola and administratively supported federal management until the beginning of the crisis that led to the impeachment of the former president, when they broke politically.
He ended his term as governor with low popularity due to a CPI in the Legislative Assembly, failing to elect Sereno Chaise, his ally, as successor.
Collares returned to the Chamber in 1999 and served as deputy until 2007. During this period, he was even considered for 2022. In that election, he was re-elected federal deputy.
in 2005, after the resignation of Severino Cavalcante (PP). He received just 18 votes in the election won by Aldo Rebelo.
