Lawyer Hélio Bicudo, PT Founder and Author of Petition to Impeach Dilma, Dies at 96

08/01/2018 - 12h50

The lawyer Hélio Bicudo, a founder of the PT (Workers' Party) who co-signed a petition to impeach former president Dilma Rousseff, died on Tuesday at the age of 96.

Mr. Bicudo had not been in good health since 2010, when he suffered a stroke. His health worsened following the death of his wife, Déa Pereira Wilken Bicudo, whom he had been married to for 71 years. He leaves behind seven children along with grandchildren and great grandchildren.

	Adriano Vizoni/Folhapress
	Hélio Bicudo

Mr. Bicudo, who was a human rights activist, rose to prominence after convicting members of a paramilitary death squad that had operated in the 1970s.

In 1980, following the end of bipartisanism in the country, Mr. Bicudo joined the Workers' Party, and became the party's first regional vice-president in the state of São Paulo. In 1982, he ran as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's running mate in the race for the governor's office. They were defeated by Franco Montoro.

Other highlights in terms of his political career include the two consecutive terms in which he served as federal deputy (1991-1999) and his term as vice-mayor from 2001 to 2005 in the administration of Marta Suplicy (who, at the time, belonged to the Workers' Party).

In September 2005, he announced that he would be leaving the Workers' Party following the outbreak of the mensalão scandal, which resulted in the conviction of party leaders such as José Dircen and José Genoino. Unlike other dissidents, Mr. Bicudo decided not to join another party.

In an interview with Folha de S. Paulo at the time, he stated that the PT had distanced itself "from ethical and moral principles".

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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