Inocêncio, who went from Arena to PL, leaves public life.

PE247- Congressman Inocêncio Oliveira (PR) announced this Monday (16) that he intends to leave politics. The announcement was made to Governor Eduardo Campos (PSB) at the provisional headquarters of the Government of Pernambuco, at the Convention Center, in Olinda. Inocêncio is considered one of the longest-serving congressmen in the House, having served nine consecutive terms as a federal deputy. Throughout his political career, Inocêncio was a member of the extinct Arena, which supported the Military Government, passing through the PFL (today DEM) until arriving at the PL. Now the parliamentarian intends to support state deputy Sebastião Oliveira (PR), who happens to be his nephew, for the state succession in the 2014 elections.

Inocêncio Gomes de Oliveira is 75 years old and was born in the rural municipality of Serra Talhada, in Pernambuco. He graduated in medicine from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and practiced the profession until 1974, when he became chief surgeon at the Agamenon Magalhães Hospital in Recife. He began his political life in 1975, joining the National Renewal Alliance (ARENA), where he remained until joining the PDS, which succeeded ARENA after the military dictatorship. In 1985, during the country's redemocratization process, the parliamentarian joined the PFL, now DEM, where he remained for most of his political career. Between 1993 and 1994, Inocêncio assumed the presidency of the republic on several occasions as a constitutional substitute, after Fernando Collor was removed from the Presidency.

Inocêncio also holds the record for having held every position in the House. The congressman has served as president, vice-president, 2nd vice-president, 1st secretary, and 2nd secretary of the Chamber of Deputies. He has also been a member of the Standing Committees on Agriculture and Rural Policy; Constitution and Justice; Interior; Drought Polygon; Social Security and Family; Health and Labor; Administration and Public Service. Inocêncio also participated in several special committees of the National Constituent Assembly and the National Congress.

Throughout his political career, Inocêncio was at the center of several political and social scandals. In 2006, the congressman was convicted of using slave labor on the Caraíbas farm, which he owned in Maranhão, where approximately 50 workers were found in conditions analogous to slavery. Inocêncio was also accused of using equipment from the National Department of Works Against Drought (Dnocs) to drill artesian wells on land he owned in the Sertão region of Pernambuco. Also that year, Inocêncio was accused of obtaining financial advantages from one of President Dilma Rousseff's (PT) main government projects, "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" (My House, My Life), by negotiating the sale of his own land at prices up to 1.600% higher than the real market value.

In 2010, Inocêncio's assets were valued at approximately R$ 7 million. After his term ends in 2014, the congressman intends to leave political life and has already informed the governor of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos, that he does not intend to run for re-election.