Ciro Gomes

Ciro Ferreira Gomes GOMM (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsiɾu feˈʁe(j)ɾɐ ˈɡomis]; born 6 November 1957), known mononymously as Ciro, is a Brazilian politician, lawyer, and academic. Ciro is currently affiliated with the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB).

Born in São Paulo but raised in Ceará into a political family, Ciro began his political career at the age of 27 in 1984. Ciro was elected Mayor of Fortaleza aged 30 in 1988 and was elected Governor of Ceará at the age of 32 in 1990. During his tenure, Ciro was the most popular governor in the country. His Viva Criança program that reduced infant mortality in Ceará by 32% was given an international award by UNICEF. His success led to his appointment as Minister of Finance for a few months in late 1994 under President Itamar Franco, where he presided over the ongoing Real Plan that eventually stabilized the economy and ended hyperinflation.

Ciro ran for President of Brazil for the Popular Socialist Party (PPS) in 1998 and 2002, coming in third and fourth place. In both Ciro presented himself as critical of Fernando Henrique Cardoso presidency and attempted to be a centre-left alternative to petista candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Following the election, Ciro was appointed by President Lula as Minister of National Integration, presiding over regional development and the interbasin transfer of the São Francisco River. In 2006, Ciro was elected federal deputy for Ceará. Ciro was expected to succeed Lula for the 2010 election, but Lula instead appointed Energy Minister Dilma Rousseff, a move he criticized. Ciro coordinated her successful presidential campaigns, but afterwards retired to the private sector.

In 2018, Ciro returned to politics after joining the Democratic Labour Party, launching his long-awaited third campaign for the presidency. Running on a platform that included a public credit debt refinancing, a progressive tax system with dividend tax, increased funding for education and healthcare, a federal agency defending LGBTQ rights, and a neo-Keynesian, re-industrializing platform, he sought to portray himself as an alternative between Lula's appointee Fernando Haddad and right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro. Though he polled better than Haddad directly against Bolsonaro, Ciro finished in third place. Following Bolsonaro's victory, many argued that Ciro would have won if he had been nominated by a centre-left coalition. Ciro refused to endorse Haddad afterwards, PT's offer to be his running mate, and has opposed Lula's party within the Brazilian left.

Described as having "one of the sharpest tongues in Brazilian politics", Ciro's public image has been characterized by his outspoken personality, receiving both praise and criticism. Ciro was one of the main opposers of Jair Bolsonaro's presidency, accusing Bolsonaro and his sons of criminal militia involvement. Ciro was also critical of Michel Temer's presidency, characterizing Dilma's impeachment as a coup. He has also been critical of Lula's presidency, accusing him of enabling Dilma's impeachment through Temer and Eduardo Cunha's appointments, and both of leading a social liberal government that led to the current Brazilian recession and Bolsonaro's election. Since joining PDT in 2015, Ciro has led a resurgence of PT's traditional left-wing nationalist opposition by PDT and the legacy of Getúlio Vargas and Leonel Brizola, receiving accusations of being a left-wing populist. In the private sector, Ciro served as director for Brazilian rail company Transnordestina S/A and steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, and he is a best-selling author.

Ciro was born in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, the son of José Euclides Ferreira Gomes Filho and Maria José Ferreira Gomes in 1957. His family moved to Sobral, Ceará in 1962. His father's family, the Ferreira Gomes family, has been active in Ceará politics for several generations.

Ciro enrolled in the Law School of the Federal University of Ceará in 1976. Ciro later recalled that within the student movements of the time, he was most closely affiliated with the Catholic Left. Upon graduation, Ciro returned to the city of Sobral, to work for the local government as a municipal prosecutor.

Ciro ran for office for the first time in 1982, as a State Deputy representing Sobral, and won; he began his first term in February 1983. Ciro attracted substantial media attention early on for his willingness to debate national political questions — including democracy, social reforms, and international relations — which he said other Ceará politicians ignored. In 1985, Ciro also started teaching tax law as a professor at the University of Fortaleza.