The Evangelical Parliamentary Front or the Evangelical Caucus (known in Portuguese as Frente Parlamentar Evangélica and Bancada Evangélica respectively) is a loosely organized group of Evangelical lawmakers in the Brazilian government and legislature.

If considered a political party, the Evangelical Caucus would be the third largest in the Brazilian government, surpassed only by the Brazilian Democratic Movement and the Workers' Party. It is a prominent feature of Conservatism in Brazil.

History

The Evangelical Parliamentary Front was founded in 2003 to bring together Evangelical parliamentarians, from all political parties, at the National Congress Palace in Brasília, Brazil.

The regularization of the FPE on the board of directors of the Chamber of Deputies only occurred on November 9, 2015, motivated by the exponential growth of the bench, a process that began with the significant election of 60 federal deputies who declared themselves evangelicals in the 2002 election.

Leadership The evangelical caucus has no formalized leadership; however João Campos de Araújo, Anthony Garotinho, Eduardo Cunha, Lincoln Portela, and Magno Malta were considered the unofficial leaders of the caucus in 2013.

Membership The Evangelical Caucus of Brazil has no defined standard of membership but is generally open to all Protestant lawmakers in the Brazilian legislature, including mainline denominations as well as members of evangelical and Pentecostal movements.

The caucus was formed especially because Brazil's fast growing Protestant population was underrepresented in government, and as is the norm Catholic and non-religious politicians are not allowed to be members. Converative Catholic politicians are usually not considered to be part of the evangelical caucus, certain politicians such as Hugo Leal and Jair Bolsonaro often collaborate with the caucus.

Although the Evangelical Caucus is often perceived by the media, its members, and supporters to be conservative/right wing, it is worth noting that a few members are affiliated with left-wing politics in Brazil, such as Benedita da Silva, Marina Silva, and Walter Pinheiro.

Influence on politics The evangelical front is often seen as part of the rising Evangelical influence in politics in Latin America. The evangelical vote was seen as key in the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff and the election of Jair Bolsonaro in the 2018 election.

Prominent members Senate of Brazil The following past and present members of the Brazilian Senate that are/were affiliated with the Evangelical caucus

image Name term state party denomination reference Marina Silva 1995–20032008–2011 Acre PT PV Assembleias de Deus Benedita da Silva 1995–1998 Rio de Janeiro PT Assembleias de Deus Magno Malta 2003–2019 Espírito Santo PR non-denominational Evangelical Marcelo Crivella 2003–2018 Rio de Janeiro PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Walter Pinheiro 2011–2016 Bahia PT Baptists Eduardo Lopes 2012–20142016–2019 Rio de Janeiro PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Guaracy Silveira 2018–2019 Tocantins PSL International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Zequinha Marinho 2019– Pará PSC Assembleias de Deus Marcos Rogério 2019– Rondônia DEM Assembleias de Deus Eliziane Gama 2019– Maranhão PPS Assembleias de Deus Arolde de Oliveira 2019–2020 Rio de Janeiro PSD Baptists Flávio Bolsonaro 2019– Rio de Janeiro PSL Baptists Mecias de Jesus 2019– Roraima PRB Nova Vida Baptist church Luis Carlos Heinze 2019– Rio Grande do Sul PP Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil

Chamber of Deputies The following past and present members of the Chamber of Deputies that are/were affiliated with the Evangelical caucus

image Name term state party denomination reference Arolde de Oliveira 1984–2019 Rio de Janeiro PSD Baptists Flávio Rocha 1984–1995 Rio Grande do Norte PTC Comunidade Evangélica Sara Nossa Terra Benedita da Silva 1987–19952011– Rio de Janeiro PT Assembleias de Deus Marina Silva 1991–1995 Acre PT Assembleias de Deus Moroni Torgan 1991–19952015–2019 Ceará DEM The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Edson Coelho Araújo 1995–20012011–2017São PauloPDMBPresbyterian Church of Brazil Walter Pinheiro 1997–2011 Bahia PT Baptists Magno Malta 1999–2003 Espírito Santo PR non-denominational Evangelical Luis Carlos Heinze 1999–2018 Rio Grande do Sul PP Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil Silas Câmara 1999– Amazonas various Assembleias de Deus Lincoln Portela 1999– Minas Gerais PRB Solidarity Baptist Church Josué Bengtson 1999–2007 Pará PTB International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Carlos Manato 2001–2019 Espírito Santo PDT Igreja Cristã Maranata Jefferson Alves de Campos 2002–20062008– São Paulo PSDPSB International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Zequinha Marinho 2003–2015 Pará PSC Assembleias de Deus Onyx Lorenzoni 2003–2019 Rio Grande do Sul DEM Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil Jorge Tadeu Mudalen 2003–2019 São Paulo DEMPMDB International Grace of God Church Eduardo Cunha 2003–2019 Rio de Janeiro PMDB Comunidade Evangélica Sara Nossa TerraGilberto Nascimento 2003–20072015– São Paulo PSC Assembleias de Deus João Campos de Araújo 2003– Goiás PRB Assembleias de Deus Hidekazu Takayama 2003– Paraná PSC Assembleias de Deus Antonio Bulhões 2007– São Paulo PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Vinicius Carvalho 2007–20112014– São Paulo PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Cléber Verde 2008– Maranhão PRB Assembleias de Deus Paulo Freire Costa 2008– São Paulo PR Assembleias de Deus Márcio Marinho 2008– Bahia PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Marco Feliciano 2011– Rio de Janeiro PODEPSC Assembleias de DeusCathedral of Avivamento/Gideões Missionários da Última Hora Pastor Eurico 2011– Pernambuco PATRIPHS Assembleias de Deus Aguinaldo Ribeiro 2011– Paraíba PP Brazilian Baptist Convention João Henrique Caldas 2011– Alagoas PSB International Grace of God Church Laercio Oliveira 2011– Sergipe PPPresbyterian Church of Brazil Ronaldo Fonseca 2011–2018 Distrito Federal PODEPROSPR Assembleias de DeusEdmar Arruda 2011–2019 Paraná PSDPSCIndependent Presbyterian Church of Brazil Francisco Floriano 2011–2015 Rio de Janeiro DEMPR Universal Church of God's Power Anthony Garotinho 2011–2015 Rio de Janeiro PRPRB Presbyterian Anthony Garotinho: Evangelical 'sniper', BBC News, September 18, 2002 Missionário José Olimpio 2011–2018 São Paulo DEMPR Universal Church of God's Power Fernando Francischini 2011–2019 Paraná SDPSL Assembleias de Deus Bruna Furlan 2011– São Paulo PSDB Christian Congregation in Brazil Clarissa Garotinho 2015– Rio de Janeiro PRPRBPROS Presbyterian Ronaldo Nogueira 2015– Rio Grande do Sul PTB Assembleias de Deus Alexandre Serfiotis 2015– Rio de Janeiro PMDB Fazei Discípulos Apostolic ChurchÁureo Lídio Moreira Ribeiro 2015– Rio de JaneiroSD Methodist Church in BrazilEzequiel Teixeira2015–2019Rio de Janeiro SDProjeto Vida NovaTia Eron 2015–2017 Bahia PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Rosângela Gomes 2015– Rio de Janeiro PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Sóstenes Cavalcante 2015– Rio de Janeiro DEM Assembleias de Deus Johnathan de Jesus 2015– Roraima PRB Nova Vida Baptist church Geovânia de Sá 2015– Santa Catarina PSDB Assembleias de Deus Stefano Aguiar 2015– Minas Gerais PSD International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Jony Marcos 2015– Sergipe PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Alan Rick Miranda 2015– Acre DEMPRB Forest Evangelical Baptist Church Lucio Mosquini 2015– Rondônia MDB Brazilian Baptist Convention Toninho Wandscheer2015–ParanáPROSAssembleias de Deus Antônio Jácome 2015–2018 Rio Grande do Norte PODEPMN Assembleias de Deus Lindomar Garçon 2015–2019 Rondônia PRBMDB Assembleias de Deus Franklin Lima 2015–2019 Minas Gerais PP Universal Church of God's Power Fábio Fernandes de Sousa 2015– Goiás PSDB Igreja Fonte da Vida Christiane Yared 2015– ParanáPRCatedral do Reino de Deus Altineu Côrtes 2015– Rio de JaneiroPRAssembleias de Deus Fausto Pinato 2015– São PauloPPPRBChristian Congregation in Brazil Liziane Bayer 2019– Rio Grande do Sul PSB International Grace of God Church Manuel Marcos 2019– Acre PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Marcos Pereira 2019– São Paulo PRB Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Felipe Francischini 2019– Paraná PSL Assembleias de Deus Otoni de Paula 2019– Rio de Janeiro PSC Assembleias de Deus

See also Conservatism in Brazil Evangelical political parties in Latin America

References