UFRJ professor and poet Marcelo Diniz Martins passes away

The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) has announced the passing of professor Marcelo Diniz Martins, who died of a heart attack on Sunday, August 16, at the age of 58.

An adjunct professor at the Faculty of Letters, Martins taught Literary Theory and Comparative Literature. He was a recognized poet, composer, and researcher whose work focused on the relationships between poetry, playfulness, and obscenity. His academic contributions included research on the works of Brazilian writer Glauco Mattoso and the study of the Western satirical-fescenine lyrical tradition.

In addition to his academic career, Martins was a notable figure in the Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) scene as a lyricist, notably contributing to the discography of Fred Martins. He was also known in the cultural community of Niterói by the nickname ‘Paredão’.