Too bad for the rising mercury and the soaring epidemic: on this scorching October afternoon, in the midst of a health crisis, Manuela d’Avila is fishing. Jovial, the left-wing candidate for mayor of Porto Alegre settles in her offices and removes her mask, revealing a broad smile. With this strange campaign carried out mainly on social networks (Covid-19 obliges), “We save a lot of time! It’s very useful. We avoid all unnecessary events! ” she rejoices.
At 39, the young woman has something to be enthusiastic about: all the polls give her the lead, with 27% of the vote in the first round and victorious in the second, far ahead of her opponents from the right and the center. Communist, feminist, committed to human rights and minorities, Manuela d’Avila embodies the youth and hopes of the left in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, in opposition to Jair Bolsonaro and the far right in power.
“Manu” (his nickname) is however far from being a newcomer in politics. In the communist world, it would even be rather an apparatchik: already candidate (unsuccessful) twice for mayor of Porto Alegre, Manuela d’Avila was elected in 2004, at 23 years old, municipal councilor (the youngest in history of the city), then successively federal (2007-2015) and regional (2015-2019) deputy. It is she, quite naturally, that Fernando Haddad, candidate of the Workers’ Party (PT) for the presidential election of 2018, chooses as running mate, for the post of vice-president.
“Stay who I am”
The “couple” in the countryside is young, attractive, modern, intellectual… but fails against Jair Bolsonaro, who wins by far with 55% of the votes. During the campaign, Manu gains a national aura, but becomes a target. The far right is pouring out torrents of misogynistic insults on the young feminist online. The candidate cashed in, right in her boots: ” The most important thing I learned in this campaign is to stay who I am ”, she confides.
“But my main characteristic is discipline! », Manuela d’Avila, candidate for mayor of Porto Alegre
To protect herself and survive, this woman of culture, graduate in journalism, daughter of an engineer and a judge, cultivates her garden: she travels, reads, writes books, spends time with her family, with her daughter (5 years) and her husband (musician). ” But my main characteristic is the discipline! »She insists. As evidenced by her adolescence: then obese, Manuela forced herself on an iron diet and lost 40 kg. ” I also smoked three packs a day. And I managed to quit overnight ”, she says.
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