Flordelis dos Santos de Souza

Flordelis dos Santos de Souza (born 5 February 1961), known as Flordelis, is a Brazilian Contemporary Christian singer, Pentecostal pastor, former member of the Chamber of Deputies (representing Rio de Janeiro), and criminal convicted of the murder of her husband, pastor Anderson do Carmo. She belonged to the party Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) between 2004 and 2018, and was a member of Social Democratic Party (PSD) between 2018 and 2021.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is dos Santos and the second or paternal family name is de Souza.

Flordelis
Flordelis in 2019
Federal Deputy from Rio de Janeiro
In office
1 February 2019 – 11 August 2021
Personal details
Born
Flordelis dos Santos de Souza

(1961-02-05) 5 February 1961
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Political party
Spouse
Anderson do Carmo
​
​
(m. 1993; died 2019)​
Children55 (51 adopted)
Musical career
Genres
Years active1998–2021
Labels
  • Apascentar Music
  • MK Music
Personal
ReligionChristian
DenominationPentecostal
ChurchMinistry Flordelis Evangelic Community
Criminal statusIncarcerated at José Frederico Marques Public Jail, Rio de Janeiro
Conviction(s)First degree murder, attempted murder, forgery, armed criminal association
Criminal penalty52 years in prison
Details
VictimsAnderson do Carmo
CountryBrazil
State(s)Rio de Janeiro
Date apprehended
13 August 2021

She has 3 biological and 51 “adopted” children, though it is unclear how many of these were legally adopted. She adopted Anderson do Carmo at the age of 14 in 1991, and married him in 1998.[1] In 1999, they co-founded the church Comunidade Evangélica Ministério Flordelis. In November 2022, she was convicted of murder of Anderson and sentenced to 50 years in prison.[2]

Biography

Flordelis was born in Jacarezinho, Rio de Janeiro in 1961 to Francisco dos Santos and Carmozina Motta dos Santos. At the age of 14, she lost her father and brother in a car accident.[3] She became a teacher and pastor, and in 1994, she adopted 37 children at once. Her charity work and adoptions attracted the attention of the media, and a film based on her life, Flordelis: Basta uma Palavra para Mudar, was released in 2009. After the release of the film, Flordelis approached the Rio de Janeiro label MK Music. Until then, she had released independent records and one distributed by Apascentar Music, a label of the then-band Toque no Altar. In 2010 she signed with MK Music and released her first album, Fogo e Unção.[4]

Political career

In 2004, Flordelis ran unsuccessfully for the São Gonçalo City Council. In 2016, she ran for mayor of São Gonçalo for the MDB.[5] From 2019 until 2021, Flordelis was a member of the Chamber of Deputies representing Rio de Janeiro after winning the 2018 elections, after having received support from Arolde de Oliveira.[6]

Murder charges

Early in the morning of 16 June 2019, her husband, Anderson do Carmo de Souza, was shot dead outside his home. One of the adopted children, 18-year-old Lucas dos Santos do Carmo, pleaded guilty to the murder, and also accused one of his adoptive brothers, the 38-year-old Flávio dos Santos, of complicity. In August 2020, prosecutors announced charges against Flordelis and several of her children, alleging that they had orchestrated Anderson's murder. Police could not arrest Flordelis because she held parliamentary immunity, but detectives pushed for her status as a member of Congress to be stripped.[7][1]

Loss of mandate

In June 2021, the Ethics Council of Brazil approved the loss of the mandate of Representative Flordelis, by 16 votes to 1.[8] The Chamber floor approved the resolution with 437 votes for the removal, 7 against and 12 abstentions.[9] On August 11, 2021, Flordelis had her mandate as a Congresswoman revoked by the Chamber, in a lawsuit filed by Representative Alexandre Leite. She lost her term of office for breach of parliamentary decorum and, as a result, could be tried and imprisoned for her husband's death. In addition to losing office, a Representative will be ineligible as determined by the Law of Ficha Limpa.[10]

Conviction and prison

Flordelis had her preventive detention decreed by the 3rd Criminal Court of Niterói after being arrested on August 13, 2021 by Rio de Janeiro Civil Police. She lost the parliamentary immunity she enjoyed when her term was revoked, and is thus subject to the same treatment as an ordinary citizen.[11] In November 2022, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to 50 years in prison.[12]

Discography

See also

References
  1. Phillips, Tom. "Gospel-singing Brazilian politician may be expelled from congress to face murder charges", The Guardian, 26 August 2020.
  2. "Former Brazilian congresswoman guilty of ordering husband's murder". Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  3. Conteúdo, Estadão (18 June 2019). "Marcada por tragédias, história de Flordelis foi contada em filme com Marquezine" [Marked by tragedies, Flordelis' story was told in a film with Marquezine]. ISTOÉ. Editora Três. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  4. "Flordelis assina contrato com a MK Music" [Flordelis signs a contract with MK Music]. MK Music. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  5. "Cantora Flordelis é pré-candidata a prefeita de SG" [Singer Flordelis is pre-candidate for mayor of SG]. JM Noticia. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. "Flordelis é a quinta deputada federal mais votada no RJ" [Flordelis is the fifth most voted federal deputy in RJ]. PSD. Partido Social Democrático. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  7. "Flordelis de Souza: Brazilian MP accused of ordering husband's murder", BBC News, 24 August 2020.
  8. "Conselho de Ética aprova perda de mandato da deputada Flordelis" [Ethics Council approves the loss of office of deputy Flordelis]. G1 (in Portuguese). 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  9. Garcia, Gustavo (11 August 2021). "Câmara aprova perda do mandato da deputada Flordelis, acusada de mandar matar o marido". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  10. Sousa, Ericles (11 August 2021). "Câmara cassa mandato de Flordelis, acusada de mandar matar marido". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  11. Sousa, Ericles (13 August 2021). "Flordelis é presa pela Polícia Civil no Rio de Janeiro". CNN (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  12. "Former Brazilian congresswoman guilty of ordering husband's murder". Retrieved 31 January 2023.
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