Wilson Barbosa Martins (21 June 1917 – 13 February 2018) was a Brazilian centenarian, lawyer and politician affiliated with the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB). For Mato Grosso do Sul, he was governor of Mato Grosso do Sul for two terms, senator and federal deputy for two terms, as well as mayor of the future capital Campo Grande.
Son of Henrique Martins and Adelaide Barbosa Martins, he was born at Fazenda São Pedro, an area that today corresponds to the municipality of Sidrolândia and at the time was a rural area of Campo Grande. At the age of 9, Wilson followed the family's move to the city of Entre Rios, now known as Rio Brilhante.
The first studies began with his father and then in private schools in the city. In 1929, the family returned to Campo Grande so that Wilson and his brother Ênio could continue their studies. At that time, the young man had his first contact with his future father-in-law Vespasiano Barbosa Martins.
Education
With the Revolution of 1932, the family engaged in the fight against the government of then President Getúlio Vargas. Wilson's father and other relatives commanded battalions in the revolutionary new state of Maracaju. With the defeat after a few months, Vespasiano was exiled and the family returned to routine.
Two years later, the young man moved to the city of São Paulo, where he completed fundamental studies before starting a law degree. It was there that he had contact with José Fragelli, who would become governor of Mato Grosso, and fellow countryman Jânio Quadros, who was elected the most president of Brazil.
Political unrest continued after 1932. Wilson timidly involved himself in student movements, which led to his being imprisoned for a day. At the time, the group that the student identified with was considered leftist. From 1935, he became a censor of the federal government, still led by Getúlio Vargas.
He then worked in a store as a salesman until he graduated in 1939. He practiced law for a few years in an office, until he decided to return to his hometown. He opened his own office in the city until he started getting involved in politics for good.
He was also a teacher and one of the owners of Colégio Oswaldo Cruz, where he met some of those who would collaborate in his administrations.
Personal life
He married the writer and artist Nelly Martins, daughter of Vespasiano. They were together for almost 60 years until his wife's death in 2003. He had three children: Thaís, Celina and Nelson.
In the 1980s, he fell out with his brother Plínio, from whom he stayed away for a long time. The two disagreed on supporting a gubernatorial candidate, Gandi Jamil. Plínio didn't want to support him, because he didn't have good relations with the Jamil family. He was also opposed to his daughter Celina's candidacy as Gandi's deputy, but accepted after she did not change her mind.
In 2013, he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. In August 2014, he was hospitalized after a sudden illness. The following day, rumors circulated that Wilson had died, which were denied by the hospital.
During hospitalization, he underwent a tracheostomy, until he was discharged after 21 days.
In recent years, the former governor had difficulty walking due to the stroke he suffered in 2013 and did not speak because of the tracheostomy in 2014. However, he remained lucid, living with his daughter Thaís. In February 2018, he died at home, aged 100.
Affiliation to the UDN and first election
He joined the National Democratic Union (UDN) when it was formed in 1945. He did not run for office, but worked to elect his friend Fragelli as state deputy. Uncle Vespasiano was elected senator by the same party in that same election.
He was in the founding group and wrote a column for the newspaper Correio do Estado. During the administration of the then mayor of Campo Grande, Fernando Corrêa da Costa, he was the general secretary of the city hall. He ran for mayoralty in 1950, but lost to Ary Coelho.
He defended improvements to Campo Grande's electricity supply. The management company of the service had its board dismissed and Wilson's group took over management. The undertaking made him known, which qualified him to run for mayoralty again, being elected in 1958. Before, he was an alternate for the then senator for Mato Grosso João Vilasboas.