Ângela Guadagnin
Encyclopedia
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
) is a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. She was the mayor of São José dos Campos
São José dos Campos
São José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo ...
from 1993 to 1996, a federal deputy for the State of São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
from 1999 to 2006 (two four-year terms), and is currently a city councilwoman in São José dos Campos.
She caught national attention in 2006, when she performed the so-called "pizza dance" in the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil. As of 2006, the chamber comprises 513 deputies, who are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms...
, in response to her fellow deputy João Magno having his charges of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
dropped.
Early career
Ângela entered the course of medicineMedicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the Universidade de Taubaté
Universidade de Taubaté
The University of Taubaté is a public university in Taubaté, São Paulo state, Brazil.-External links:*...
in 1968, graduating in 1974. In 1988, she mastered in public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
in the University of São Paulo
University of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
. In 2001, already a deputy, she obtained her master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in policies
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Pizza dance
Ângela Guadagnin is a member of Workers' PartyWorkers' Party (Brazil)
The Workers' Party is a democratic socialist political party in Brazil. Launched in 1980, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important left-wing movements of Latin America. It governs at the federal level in a coalition government with several other parties since January 1, 2003...
(PT). She caught the attention of the Brazilian press when she performed a dance inside the Chamber of Deputies, celebrating that her fellow deputy João Magno of PT was absolved of charges of corruption in the Mensalão Affair. Magno's case was decided in a voting process among peers. Before the counting of the votes was finished (when it was already certain that Magno would be acquitted), Ângela stood up and, already dancing, walked towards the stairway and continued performing her dance in full view of TV cameras.
The dance was named "pizza dance" because of the Brazilian expression "acabar em pizza" (lit. to end up in pizza, which means to end up in nothing, to end up with no significant consequences, with people going out to eat pizza instead of biting the bullet). This expression has been frequently used to describe the absence of results in the investigation of politicians suspected of corruption.
She apologized, some time later, saying: "I can only ask for forgiveness and understanding, because I am a human being and I express my feelings."
The statewide repercussion of the episode was so great that Ângela Guadagnin was resoundingly defeated in the 2006 elections for the national Chamber of Deputies. Two years later she was successful in winning a seat in the City Council of São José dos Campos for 2009-2012.