First round win expected for Rousseff as Brazil votes

Brazil’s Aecio Neves scores last-minute comeback

Aécio Neves - Bio

Aécio Neves

Aécio Neves da Cunha (born 10 March 1960) is a Brazilian economist, politician and president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). He was the 17th Governor of Minas Gerais from 1 January 2003 to 31 March 2010, and is currently a member of the Brazilian Federal Senate. He is the nominee of his party in the runoff presidential election in 2014.

Biography - Born in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Neves was the youngest governor in the state's history. He began his political career as a personal secretary of his grandfather, Tancredo Neves, who was elected President of Brazil in 1985, but who died before taking office. Aecio Neves served four terms as an elected deputy in the Federal Chamber of Deputies between 1987 and 2002, representing the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB). He was also President of the Chamber of Deputies in 2001/02.

As governor, Aecio Neves introduced the "Management Shock", a set of sweeping reforms designed to bring the state budget under control by reducing government expenditure and promoting investment. Having been tipped as a potential candidate for the Brazilian Presidential elections in 2010, Neves announced his intention to stand aside from the race at the end of 2009. He ran for the Brazilian Federal Senate instead, and was elected a Senator representing the State of Minas Gerais. He took office as a Senator of the Republic on 1 February 2011.

Aécio was a columnist at Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo until June 2014. On October 5, 2014, he received the second largest number of votes (at 34%) in the Brazilian presidential election, placing him in the runoff election to be held on October 26, 2014, against the first place candidate and current Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, who received 42% of the vote.

Early years - Aécio Neves acted as personal secretary to his maternal grandfather, Tancredo Neves, who was Governor of Minas Gerais in the early 1980s.

Aécio Neves is son of politician Aécio Cunha and Inês Maria. Neves hails from a family of traditional politicians in Minas Gerais. His maternal grandfather, Tancredo Neves, was a key figure in the redemocratization of Brazil, served as governor of Minas Gerais and elected via electoral college. Neves’ paternal grandfather, Tristão Ferreira da Cunha, and his father Aécio Cunha were congressmen representing the state of Minas Gerais.

His paternal grandfather, Tristão Ferreira da Cunha, a native of Teófilo Otoni, a northern city in Minas Gerais, was also a politician as well as a lawyer and a professor. He was Secretary of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce in the state government of Juscelino Kubitschek (1951–1955). Aécio Cunha, son of Tristão and father of Aécio, was state deputy between 1955 and 1963 and federal representative between 1963 and 1987.

Neves moved to Rio de Janeiro with his parents when his was 10 years old. He had his first job at the Administrative Council for Economic Defense of the Ministry of Justice in Rio de Janeiro. In 1981 his maternal grandfather convinced Neves to return to Belo Horizonte. He moved into an apartment that shared by his maternal grandfather and father and transferred to Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, where he studied economics.

In 1982 Aécio began working in his grandfather's campaign for the state government, attending meetings and rallies in more than 300 towns. Tancredo Neves was elected governor of Minas Gerais, and in 1983, Aécio served as his private secretary. In the following years, Aécio participated in the movement "Diretas Já" and in Tancredo Neves’ presidential campaign.

Tancredo Neves won the Brazilian presidency via electoral college in 1985. After the elections Aécio Neves accompanied the president-elect on visits to democratic countries, a political strategy used to enhance the retransition to democracy in Brazil. They visited the United States and US President Ronald Reagan, France with President François Mitterrand, Italy and Sandro Pertini, Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, King Juan Carlos of Spain and Pope John Paul II.

Aécio Neves was appointed secretary of Special Affairs of the Presidency by President-elect Tancredo Neves, but due to his early death, and José Sarney assuming office the job was cancelled.

Congressman- In 1986 he ran for the National Constituent Assembly as a member of Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB). He received 236,019 votes, which at the time was the largest vote for a congressman elected from Minas Gerias. In the Constituent Assembly he became vice the chairman of the Sovereignty and Rights and Guarantees of Men and Women and was also one of the authors of the amendment that turned Brazil’s voting age to 16 years.

In his second term (1991-1995) he voted for the impeachment of President Fernando Collor de Melo. In 1992 Aécio ran for mayor of Belo Horizonte, but was defeated. It was his only electoral defeat. Neves was reelected to Congress for a third term in 1994.The term lasted from 1995-1998, during which he was elected president of PSDB Minas Gerais. In 1997, he became PSDB’s leader in Congress.

Main achievememnts - Neves upon becoming governor of Minas Gerais on January 1, 2003.

Governor - On 6 October 2002 Neves was elected governor of Minas Gerais. On 28 March 2006, Aécio announced his candidacy and soon after was reelected, Neves became the second longest-serving governor in state history.

The Government of Minas Gerais expropriated a piece of land owned by Neves’s great-uncle, estimated at about R$ 1 million. His great-uncle requested R$ 20 million for the indemnification. The State appealed the value in the Justice and the indemnification was annulled.

As governor he hired 98 000 public employees without any public selection and with illegal procedures. During his administration, the salaries of school teachers in Minas Gerais reached the lowest level of the whole country. The basic salary of medical doctors was R$ 1 050, the second lowest of the country.

Candidacy for Presidency in 2014 - In December 2012, former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso appointed Aécio Neves as candidate of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party for the 2014 presidential elections.[48] In the October 2014 election, Neves received the second greatest number of votes in the first round, defeating former Environment Minister Marina Silva. He will proceed to the second round, a run-off against incumbent Dilma Rousseff.

Personal life - Neves married model Leticia Weber in 2013. They had twins, Bernardo and Julia, in September 2014. He has another daughter, Gabriela Falcão Neves, born in 1991 from his first marriage (1991-1998) with lawyer Andrea Falcão. In Brazil circulate persistent rumors about him beeing a cocaine snorter. In 2013 445kg of Cocaine pasta base was found in Aécio Neves' helicopter.

Neves attempted to censor Google, Yahoo!, and Bing search results related to rumors about drug abuse and misappropriation of public health funds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9cio_Neves

'I Touch Myself' Breast Cancer Anthem #itouchmyselfproject

Dez das maiores cantoras australianas prestam homenagem à cantora Chrissy Amphlett, da banda Divinyls, não tão conhecida pelo nome no Brasil, mas dona do eterno sucesso dos anos 90 "I Touch Myself". O tributo reinterpreta o sentido original da música para incentivar a conscientização sobre a importância do auto-exame como forma de diagnóstico precoce do câncer de mama, que vitimou a cantora em 2013.

Divinyls - I Touch Myself

I Touch Myself

I love myself I want you to love me

When I feel down I want you above me

I search myself I want you to find me

I forget myself I want you to remind me

I don't want anybody else

When I think about you I touch myself

Ooh I don't want anybody else Oh no, oh no, oh no

You're the one who makes me come running

You're the sun who makes me shine

When you're around I'm always laughing

I want to make you mine

I close my eyes and see you before me

Think I would die if you were to ignore me

A fool could see just how much I adore you

I get down on my knees I do anything for you

I don't want anybody else

When I think about you I touch myself

Ooh I don't want anybody else

Oh no, oh no, oh no

I want you I don't want anybody else

And when I think about you I touch myself

Ooh, ooh, oo, oo. ahh

I don't want anybody else

When I think about you I touch myself

Ooh I don't want anybody else

Oh no, oh no, oh no

Eu me toco

Eu me amo eu quero que você me ame

Quando eu me sentir triste eu quero você em cima de mim

Eu estou procurando por mim mesma eu quero que você me ache

Eu esqueci quem eu sou, eu quero que você me lembre

Eu não quero mais ninguém

Quando eu penso em você, eu me toco

Ohh, eu não quero mais ninguém Oh não, Oh não Oh não yeah!

Você é aquele que me faz correr

Você é o sol que me faz brilhar

Quando você está por perto eu estou sempre sorrindo

Eu quero fazer você meu

Eu fecho meus olhos e vejo você na minha frente

Penso que poderia morrer se você me ignorar

Um tolo poderia ver o quanto eu te adoro

Eu fico de joelhos eu faço qualquer coisa por você

Eu não quero mais ninguém

Quando eu penso em você eu me toco

Ooh eu não quero mais ninguém

Oh não, oh não, oh não

Eu quero você, eu não quero mais ninguém

Quando eu penso em você eu me toco

Ooh, ooh, oo, oo. ahh

Eu nao quero mais ninguem

Quando eu penso em você eu me toco

Ooh eu não quero mais ninguém

Oh não, oh não, oh não

Link: http://www.vagalume.com.br/divinyls/i-touch-myself-traducao.html#ixzz3FbvpunbX

Countdown begins for elections in Brazil

Marina Silva - Biography

 Marina Silva

Former Brazilian senator

Maria Osmarina Marina Silva Vaz de Lima is a Brazilian environmentalist and politician. Silva was a colleague of Chico Mendes, who was assassinated for defending the Amazon environment. 

Born: February 8, 1958 (age 56), Rio Branco, Acre

Previous office: Senator of Brazil (2003–2011)

Spouse: Fábio Vaz de Lima (m. 1986), Raimundo Souza (m. 1980–1985)

Children: Shalon Silva, Mayara Silva, Danilo Silva, Moara Silva

Education: Federal University of Acre (1981–1984), University of Brasília, Universidade Católica de Brasília

Parents: Maria Augusta da Silva, Pedro Augusto da Silva

Maria Osmarina Marina Silva Vaz de Lima(born 8 February 1958) is a Brazilian environmentalist and politician. Silva was a colleague of Chico Mendes, who was assassinated for defending the Amazon environment. She was a member of the Worker's Party (PT) until 19 August 2009 and served as a senator before becoming environmental minister in 2003. In 1996, Silva won the Goldman Environmental Prize for South & Central America. In 2007, the United Nations Environment Program named her one of the Champions of the Earth[4] and the 2009 Sophie Prize. Running in the 2010 Brazilian elections for the Green Party (PV), she earned 19.33% of the popular votes.

In 2010, she, along with Cécile Duflot, Monica Frassoni, Elizabeth May and Renate Künast, were named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers, for taking Green mainstream. In 2012 she was one of the eight people chosen to carry the flag into opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

In April 2014, Eduardo Campos announced his candidacy for the October presidential election, naming Marina Silva as his vice presidential candidate. After Campos's death in a plane crash on 13 August, she was selected to run as the Socialist Party's candidate for the presidency.

Early life

Marina Silva was born in the small village of Breu Velho, 70 km outside Rio Branco, Acre. Silva is a descendant of Portuguese and black African ancestors in both her maternal and paternal lines.[11] She was one of eleven children in a community of rubber tappers on the Bagaço rubber tree plantation (Portuguese Seringal Bagaço), in the western state of Acre. Growing up, she survived five bouts of malaria in addition to cases of hepatitis and metal poisoning.

Orphaned at age 16, young Marina moved to the state capital, Rio Branco, to study and receive treatment for hepatitis. She was taken in by nuns in a convent and received a Catholic education. There, she became the first person in her family to learn to read and write. After leaving the convent, she went to work as a housemaid in exchange for lodging. She graduated in History from the Federal University of Acre at 26 and became increasingly politically active. In 1984 Silva helped create Acre's first workers' union.

She led demonstrations called empates with Chico Mendes to warn against deforestation and the outplacement of forest communities from their traditional locations.

Silva as a Senator

In 1994, Ms. Silva was the first rubber tapper ever elected to the federal senate. As a native Amazonian and a senator, she built support for environmental protection of the reserves as well as for social justice and sustainable development in the Amazon region. Deforestation decreased by 59% from 2004 to 2007, during which she implemented an integrated government policy. It simultaneously fostered sustainable development, favored territorial zoning, and attached greater value to standing forests. It also incorporated elements from international conventions and documents. "All of this demonstrates that, when there is integrated planning and effort, it is truly possible to change the picture," Silva said in a statement to the Embassy of Brazil in London.

Silva as Lula's Minister

A member of the Workers' Party, Marina Silva was appointed Environment Minister by Lula in his first term (2003). She remained in office until 2008 and received several criticisms from entrepreneurs (mainly related to agribusiness) on account of delays in granting permits for projects with large environmental impact. In early 2005, however, she stated that she would not give up upon facing challenges even if imposed by the government to which she belonged, like when the controversy over the Sao Francisco River Diversion Project happened.[19] and the building of BR 163 highway through the rainforest: "I don't admit defeat, just challenges that must be overcome".

Also in 2005, Silva established the main lines of action for the next two years: social participation, sustainable development, creation of a National Environmental System and an Integrated Environmental Policy. As she said, "Our ministry is new. It's only 13 years old, and it needs to be rebuilt".

In the same year, Silva was confronted by Paulo Adário, coordinator of Greenpeace Brazil, over her environmental actions in her tenure in the ministry. Ever since her tenure began, Ms. Silva, together with the Federal Police, the Brazilian Army and the Federal Highway Police, the Brazilian Environment Ministry performed 32 operations against illegal deforestation in the Amazon. But Adário claims that his organization monitors the Amazon region and that only one of such operations was conducted in October 2004, in the town of Itaituba, Pará. According to him, even if the 32 operations had actually been accomplished, this would represent only half of what was anticipated in the National Plan to Combat Deforestation.

Resignation

Marina Silva in 2008

Silva resigned mid-May in 2008. She was replaced by Carlos Minc. Silva cited "the growing resistance found by our team in important sectors of the government and society" as the reason for her resignation. The last straw for her came when President Lula da Silva designated Roberto Mangabeira Unger, the minister for strategic affairs, to coordinate an "Amazon sustainable development initiative" instead of her, who had been reared in the tropical rainforest she sought to preserve. She had become increasingly isolated in Lula da Silva's government due to her views on hydroelectric dams, biofuels, and genetically modified crops.

"It's time to start praying [for the rainforest]," Sérgio Leitão, the director of public policy for Greenpeace in Brazil, said after Silva's resignation.

Party switch and 2010 Presidential bid.

Waist high portrait of three middle aged people in the library of what could be a boat or other confined space.

Silva (center) with Thomas Lovejoy and Stephen Schneider

On 19 August 2009, Silva announced her switch from the Workers' Party to the Green Party, primarily in protest against the environmental policies endorsed by the PT. Confirming the expectations, Marina Silva launched her candidacy to the 2010 election under the Green Party ticket on 16 May 2010 in the city of Nova Iguaçu, state of Rio de Janeiro. Silva said she wanted to be "the first black woman of poor origin" to become president of Brazil.

She has also become a Pentecostal Christian in the Assemblies of God, the second largest Christian denomination in Brazil after the declining but still mainstream Roman Catholic church. Nevertheless, during her election campaign, she was criticized by one of the main leaders of the Brazilian Assemblies of God, Pastor Silas Malafaia, after having proposed a referendum on abortion and decriminalization of marijuana. According to Malafaia, Marina Silva should be "more courageous and consistent" in defense of her religious convictions.

Silva on SBT

In her campaign, Silva defended the "exercise of citizen-based political principles and values", "education for the knowledge society", "economy applied to a sustainable society", "social protection, health, welfare and 3rd generation of social programs", "quality of life and safety for all Brazilians", and "strengthening of culture and diversity".

With her speech against the endemic corruption in Brazil (see A Privataria Tucana and Mensalão scandal), and in favor of sustainable development (with a due consideration to environmental issues), Silva managed to attract the middle class sectors disillusioned with the government of the Fernando Henrique Cardoso's PSDB and dissatisfied with the compensatory social policies of Lula da Silva's administration. As a result, she became an alternative to the Brazilian people.

Marina Silva received a strong support of the high educational level and young population. She run by a small party, so she had about 1/20 of the TV time, comparing with the other two biggest party coalitions. Opinion polls notwithstanding, she received 19.4% of the votes cast. This number far exceeded earlier estimates (more than double), but not enough to join the runoff against Dilma Rousseff or José Serra.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Silva (accessed on the Oct.5th,2014)