Antônio Jácome

Jácome is the son of Francisco Xavier de Mesquita and Alda Jácome de Mesquita.^[1] Aside from being a politician Jácome has also worked as a lawyer, medic, and theologian.^[2] His son Jacó Jácome and nephew Eriko Jácome are both politicians in the state legislature of Rio Grande do Norte.^[3] In August 2017 Jácome published a book detailing his time in office.^[2]

He is a member and former pastor of the Assembleias de Deus, and became the first evangelical elected from Rio Grande do Norte as federal deputy.^[2] In 2011 Jácome was expelled from the role of pastor in the church after it was exposed that Jácome had impregnated a woman in an extra marital affair and later forced her to have an abortion.^[4]

Jácome voted in favor of the impeachment of then-president Dilma Rousseff.^[5] Jácome voted in favor of 2015 tax reforms but against the 2017 Brazilian labor reform,^[6] and would vote in favor of a corruption investigation into Rousseff's successor Michel Temer.^[7]

Jácome contested the 2018 Brazilian general election in his state for the position of senator and garnered 307,399 votes, although it was not enough for him to be elected.^[8] In December 2018 Jácome was rumored for the position of Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights in the Bolsonaro government, a move that was controversial both with liberals and conservatives due to his anti-abortion views and his history of forcing a woman to have an abortion. Eventually Damares Alves was nominated instead.^[3]