Maria das Graças Carvalho Dantas (born 21 May 1969), known as Maria Dantas, is a Brazilian-Spanish activist and politician who had served as Member of the Congress of Deputies of Spain.
Maria Dantas | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Congress of Deputies | |
| In office 16 May 2019 – 30 May 2023 | |
| Constituency | Barcelona |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maria das Graças Carvalho Dantas 21 May 1969 Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil |
| Political party | Republican Left of Catalonia |
| Other political affiliations | Republican Left of Catalonia–Sovereigntists |
| Alma mater | |
Early life
Dantas was born on 21 May 1969 in Aracaju in north-eastern Brazil.[1][2] She is the daughter of a merchant and a nurse.[2][3] She has a degree in law from the Federal University of Sergipe.[3][4] She was a student of Carlos Ayres Britto at the university.[5]
Dantas worked as a deputy delegate for the civil police in Sergipe.[2][6]
Career
Dantas migrated to Spain in 1994 in order to study environmental law.[2][6] She was an undocumented migrant and worked in various jobs over 15 years – as a maid, nanny, old age carer, dog walker, waitress and Portuguese teacher.[2][6] She would clean toilets after attending doctorate classes.[2][3] She later worked as an administrative assistant for a finance company.[7] She is a naturalised Spanish citizen.[3][8]
Soon after arriving in Spain Dantas became an activist against xenophobia, racism, fascism and homophobia and supporting immigration and human rights.[4] She is a member of Unity Against Fascism and Racism (Unitat Contra el Feixisme i el Racisme) and is a member of the boards of Centre Internacional Escarré per a les Minories Ètniques i Nacionals (CIEMEN) and Confederació d’Associacions Veïnals de Catalunya (CONFAVC).[9] Her activism has led to death threats from supporters of Brazil's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.[4]
Dantas contested the 2019 general election as a Republican Left of Catalonia–Sovereigntists electoral alliance candidate in the Province of Barcelona and was elected to the Congress of Deputies.[10][11]
Personal life
Dantas has a son, Thiago Lee, from a marriage when she was living in Brazil.[12] She also has two daughters born in Barcelona, Victoria and Natalia, from a second relationship to a Brazilian.[6][12]
Electoral history
| Election | Constituency | Party | Alliance | No. | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 general[10][11] | Province of Barcelona | Republican Left of Catalonia | Republican Left of Catalonia–Sovereigntists | 18 | Elected | ||