Hamilton Assis

Hamilton Assis
Personal details
Born (1963-01-19) January 19, 1963 (age 61)
Political partyPT (1982-2005)
PSOL (2005-present)
OccupationPolitician, teacher, and social movement leader

Hamilton Moreira de Assis (born January 19, 1963), known as Hamilton Assis, is a Brazilian labor leader, left-wing activist, teacher, and politician from Salvador, Bahia. A former director of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) in Bahia, he has run for office several times as a member of the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), most recently in 2018 where he stood as an unsuccessful candidate for the party's presidential nomination.[1] Over the course of his career, Assis has held positions in the Bahia chapters of both PSOL and the Workers' Party (PT).

Biography

Early life and political activity

Born in the neighborhood of Pau Miúdo in 1963, Assis spent his childhood in the neighborhood of Pau da Lima in Salvador, Bahia. He became politically active in the Ecclesial Base Communities and was involved in neighborhood associations in Salvador in the early 1980s. In 1982, he joined the newly-formed Workers' Party (PT),[2] and occupied positions in the party's state leadership in Bahia. During this period, Assis was also involved in the Bahian Black Movement. Assist served as director of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores, the country's primary labor organization, in Bahia between 1993 and 1996.[3]

In 2005, Hamilton Assis participated in the founding of the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL),[4] a left-wing party created by PT dissidents. From 2006 to 2007, Assis served at the helm of the PSOL state director in Bahia. In 2010, he became leader of the PSOL's municipal branch in Salvador.[5][6]

2010 vice presidential candidacy and aftermath

In 2010, he was chosen by former federal deputy Plínio de Arruda Sampaio to serve as his vice presidential running mate on the PSOL slate that year.[7][8] As a vice presidential candidate, Assis criticized Marina Silva, then a leading presidential candidate, by accusing her of inconsistency.[9]

Assis also criticized the media for largely ignoring the candidacy of Arruda Sampaio. Speaking in praise of Arruda Sampaio, Assis stated that there "is a tendency to treat Plínio as an exotic figure, in addition to people perceiving a prejudice against older people as well... But anyone who pays attention to what he says will realize that he is a brave man, full of political qualities and with the necessary vigor to promote great changes in Brazil".[10]

During the vice presidential debate, Assis denounced institutional racism in Brazil and stated that the Pacifying Police Units (UPP) in Rio de Janeiro have brought "terror to the well-being of communities". Additionally, Assis spoke out in favor of expanding and protecting abortion rights.[11]

2012 mayoral candidacy and aftermath

Assis campaigning with Hilton Coelho.

In 2012, Assis mounted a campaign for Mayor of Salvador in an alliance with the PCB and PSTU, and received 33,650 votes.[12][13] During the campaign, he prioritized renewing urban infrastructure.[14] He did not support a candidate in the second round of the election.[15] According to Jornal A Tarde, Assis and PSOL were harmed in the election by only pledging to take individual contributions, thereby limiting their fundraising ability.[13] While Assis lost, his campaign in 2012 coincided with the election of the first-ever PSOL alderman on the City Council of Salvador, Hilton Coelho.[16]

In 2014, he mounted a campaign to serve as Senator for Bahia.[17] During his senatorial campaign, Assis endorsed abortion legalization, the decriminalization of some drugs, the creation of a unicameral federal legislature, and the public financing of elections. Additionally, he endorsed quotas for Afro-Brazilians to advance racial equality and opposed lowering the age of criminal responsibility.[18]

In 2016, Assis stood for a seat on the City Council of Salvador.[19] He had considered running for the mayoralty again, but PSOL instead chose to nominate Bahia State University professor Fábio Nogueira.[20]

Assis was a strong critic of Michel Temer during his presidency, accusing Temer of trying to push through a pension reform plan to remove workers' rights. Assis stated that the government is "proposing an increase in the contribution ceiling for 45 years and the age of 65. If this equation confirms, no worker will be able to retire in this country and we will see a situation analogous to slavery. The enslaved workers worked until they died!"[21]

2018 presidential candidacy

In 2018, Hamilton Assis chose to run for the presidency,[22] though PSOL ended up nominated Guilherme Boulos instead.[23][1] Assis criticized the party's leadership for perceived unfair treatment in favor of Boulos at the expense of internal democracy, and stated that PSOL should be built "from scratch" to keep it in touch with social movements.[24] At the party convention, Assis received seven votes in favor of his nomination, compared to 87 for Boulos and 27 for Plínio de Arruda Sampaio Jr., the son of the late Arruda Sampaio.[25]

Personal life

Assis is a teacher at the municipal education system in Salvador, where he works as a pedagogical coordinator, and holds a master's degree in education. Assis is married to Meire Reis, a feminist activist.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b de 2018, Rogério DaflonRogério Daflon9 de Março; 22h36 (9 March 2018). "A guerra pelo PSOL: uma reunião com o petista Tarso Genro desencadeou o inferno". The Intercept Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-24.{cite web}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Rego, Rafaele (2012-08-21). "Veja as propostas de Hamilton Assis (PSOL) para Salvador". iBahia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  3. ^ "Hamilton Assis". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  4. ^ "PSOL50".
  5. ^ "PSOL elege Hamilton Assis presidente em congresso em Salvador | Política Livre". Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  6. ^ Line, A. TARDE On. "Com fim das coligações na eleição proporcional, partidos apostam em candidaturas coletivas". Portal A TARDE (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  7. ^ Já, Bahia. "BAIANO HAMILTON ASSIS É VICE NA CHAPA DE PLÍNIO SAMPAIO, DO PSOL". Bahia Já. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  8. ^ "Serei mais duro do que Plínio no debate, diz vice do PSOL - Band.com.br". Aqui na Band (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  9. ^ "Marina Silva não é". Aqui na Band (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  10. ^ "Hamilton Assis, vice de Plínio Sampaio: "o caminho está na esquerda"". Sul 21 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2010-09-14. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  11. ^ "Hamilton Assis encurrala adversários em debate". PSOL SP (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  12. ^ "Frase do dia: Hamilton Assis". Acorda Cidade - Dilton Coutinho (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2 July 2012. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  13. ^ a b Line, A. TARDE On. "Psol faz críticas à escolha de vices negros". Portal A TARDE (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  14. ^ BA, Do G1 (2012-09-21). "Candidato Hamilton Assis fala ao jornal Bahia Meio Dia". Eleições 2012 na Bahia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.{cite web}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ BA, Do G1 (2012-10-11). "Hamilton Assis não irá apoiar candidatos ao 2° turno em Salvador". Eleições 2012 na Bahia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-24.{cite web}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "Política - 'Minha pretensão é ser vereador', diz Hamilton Assis - 02/11/2015". BNews (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2 November 2015. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  17. ^ BA, Do G1 (2014-10-03). "Conheça os candidatos da Bahia ao Senado e quais são as atribuições". Eleições 2014 na Bahia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-24.{cite web}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Belas, Evilásio Júnior/ Luana Ribeiro/ Rodrigo Aguiar | Fotos: Júlia (26 May 2014). "Hamilton Assis". www.bahianoticias.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  19. ^ "Hamilton Assis 50500 PSOL (Vereador) Salvador - Guia Eleições 2016". Guia dos Candidatos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  20. ^ www.novoeste.com, Novoeste com-. "Durante desfile do 2 de Julho, Fábio Nogueira recebe apoio da população de Salvador | Notícias Destaque | Novoeste on-line - Onde o Oeste da Bahia é Notícia". www.novoeste.com. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  21. ^ "Durante Greve Geral, PSOL Bahia pede 'Fora Temer!'". Jornal Grande Bahia (JGB) (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2017-04-29. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  22. ^ "PSOL lança Guilherme Boulos como pré-candidato a presidente da República". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 10 March 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  23. ^ "PSOL50".
  24. ^ "Hamilton Assis: 'Construir o PSOL de raiz, contra a Casa Grande". Esquerda Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). 9 March 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  25. ^ "PSOL oficializa pré-candidatura de líder dos sem-teto à Presidência". Reuters. 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  26. ^ "Eleições - Esposa de Hamilton Assis "pega ar" com Adelson Carvalho - 01/10/2012". BNews (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 2012. Retrieved 2021-02-24.