Manoel Dias, PDT founder and former Minister of Labour, dies at 88

Manoel Dias, a co-founder of the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) and former Minister of Labour and Employment under President Dilma Rousseff, has died at the age of 88. He passed away in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, following health complications from a stroke.

Dias had a long and turbulent political career. Originally elected as a councilman in 1962, his mandate was revoked and he was imprisoned following the 1964 military coup. He later faced another revocation of his political rights during the AI-5 period. Following the amnesty in 1979, he became a central figure in reorganizing the labor movement and helped found the PDT alongside Leonel Brizola.

During his tenure as Minister of Labour from 2013 to 2015, his administration was subject to investigations, including Operation Esopo, which looked into alleged irregularities regarding fund transfers to NGOs. Political leaders, including PDT national president Carlos Lupi, paid tribute to his legacy in the defense of workers' rights and the construction of the party.