Antônio Cotrim / Lusa
Carlos Brito, historic leader of the PCP
He was one of the men close to Álvaro Cunhal, leader of the PCP parliamentary group for 15 years, and candidate for president of the Republic supported by the PCP. He was part of the Communist Renewal Movement, ending up expelled from the party in 2002.
The historic leader of the Portuguese Communist Party Carlos Brito He passed away this Thursday, aged 93, in Faro hospital, the doctor and his personal friend Paulo Fidalgo confirmed to Lusa.
Paulo Fidalgowho was one of the founders of the Communist Renewal Movement, said that Carlos Brito was admitted to the hospital in Faro recently due to a respiratory infection and was discharged from hospital on Monday, already recovered.
“Unexpectedly” died this afternoon at his home in Alcoutim, said Paulo Fidalgo.
Carlos Brito was one of the men close to Álvaro Cunhal. He was part of the Communist Renewal Movement, ending up expelled from the PCP in 2002, along with Edgar Correia and Carlos Figueira
Leader of the PCP parliamentary bench for around 15 years, the historic communist leader was also responsible for the PCP in Lisbon on the 25th of April and the PCP’s presidential candidate.
The PCP recalled the anti-fascist path and the “contribution to the April Revolution” of Carlos Brito, historic leader of the party who died today at the age of 93, despite “known differences and political distance”.
“Without prejudice to the known differences and political distanceo, we record in Carlos Brito his anti-fascist journey and his contribution to the April Revolution, particularly at the parliamentary level”, can be read in a brief press release sent by the PCP.
The general secretary of the Socialist Party, José Luís Carneirostressed that the death of Carlos Brito “is a cause for great sadness“, remembering his journey as an “anti-fascist resister” and “an unavoidable figure in Portuguese political life in the first five decades of democracy”.
José Luís Carneiro also pointed out that Carlos Brito was “a reference of seriousness, citizenship and fighting for his values, even at personal costs and with the misunderstanding of some of his comrades”.
Carlos Brito was born in Mozambique in 1933. The historic communist leader was PCP militant for 48 yearsas an employee, member of the Central Committee, parliamentary leader, director of the newspaper “Avante!” and candidate for President of the Republic.
During the dictatorship, Carlos Brito spent ten years in hiding and eight years in prison. After the 25th of April, he spent 16 years in the Assembly of the Republic, 15 of which as leader of the parliamentary group.
He left parliament “desolate” in 1991 for not having been elected by the Faro circle. At the time of your departurehad the record of “longevity” in parliamentsince the Constituent Assembly.
Em 1980 ran for president against Ramalho Eanes and Soares Carneiro, giving up at the polls.
His 33-year stay at the Central Committee ended in November 2000, when Carlos Brito resigned his position in disagreement with the guidelines of the XVI Congress. In March 2000, he had already written a letter to the leadership expressing concern about the party’s direction.
He was among the leaders who called for an extraordinary congress after the electoral defeat of the PCP in the 2001 municipal elections. tilt internal which opposed the so-called “renovators” to the defenders of the party’s orthodoxy, Carlos Brito wassuspended from PCP in 2002 for 10 months.
The disciplinary sanction, which would culminate in his expulsion from the party, was decided at the time by the Secretariat, among several expulsions of critics of the leadership, including those of Edgar Correia, now deceased, and Carlos Luís Figueirawhich would formalize the political association a few years later Communist Renewal.
Since 1996, Carlos Brito has demonstrated his desire to step away from leadership positions, first by refusing to join the Political Commission in 1996 and then leaving the direction of “Avante!” in 1998.
He was married, had two daughters, and was retired in Alcoutimin the Algarve, where his family originated. For many years he dedicated himself to writing poetry, fiction and participating in the associative movement for regional development.
