Gabriel Chalita

Gabriel Benedito Issaac Chalita (born 30 April 1969 in Cachoeira Paulista) is a Brazilian lawyer, jurist, professor, writer and politician, member of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT).

Education
Gabriel Chalita was born in Cachoeira Paulista, in the state of São Paulo, to a father of Lebanese descent with roots in Bekaa Kafra and a Syrian mother who immigrated to Brazil at a young age. He published his first book at the age of 12. He concluded his studies of Bachelor of Laws by the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) in 1994, and of Philosophy by the Salesiana College of Philosophy, Sciences, and Letters of Lorena in 1989.

In 1995, defended the thesis Relations of Power in Machiavelli and La Boétie, obtaining the grade of Master in Social Science, and in 1997, with the thesis The Power in the Renaissance, obtained the grade of Master of Laws by the PUC-SP.

In the same year, defended the thesis The Seduction in the Speech in Jury Courts'', obtaining the grade of Doctor in Communication and Semiotics, also by the PUC-SP. In the next year, defended the thesis Alternatives for the Independence of the city's Legislative Power, which he obtained the grade of Doctor of Law by the PUC-SP.

Professional life
Currently, Chalita is professor of Mackenzie Presbyterian University, of PUC-SP, member of the Brazilian Union of Writers, of the Brazilian Academy of Education, and president of the Paulista Academy of Letters.

He presented, by the Sistema Canção Nova de Comunicação, the show Papo Aberto, broadcast on radio and TV. Currently, presents Caminhos in Rede Vida de Televisão, a Catholic TV broadcaster.

Acted, since his young years, in several NGOs; among them, the Latin American Youth for Democracy (JULAD). At the age of 19, was elected City Councillor in his birth city, becoming President of the City Council of Cachoeira Paulista. Also assumed the offices of Secretary of Youth, Sports and Leisure, and, posteriorly, Secretary of Education of the State of São Paulo, becoming president of the National Council of Secretaries of Education (CONSED) for two terms.

In 2008, Chalita was elected City Councillor of São Paulo, becoming the most voted candidate of the city, with 102,044 votes by the coalition PSDB/PHS.

Having his first book published at his 12, at 15 has already created a collection focused in children in catechesis. Currently has more than 80 books published, among them: Educação: a solução está no afeto, Os Dez Mandamentos da Ética, Pedagogia do Amor, Cartas entre Amigos, and O Pequeno Filósofo.

In 2010, he was elected Federal Deputy as the second most voted candidate in the state, with 560,008 for the 54th Congress (2011–2015). In the 2012 elections, he ran for Mayor of São Paulo by the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), but couldn't get to the second round. In the 2014 elections, decided to not run for a new term as Federal Deputy. On 13 January 2015, Chalita was nominated by mayor Fernando Haddad as Secretary of Education of São Paulo, replacing César Callegari, who resigned a day before.

In March 2016, he returned to the Democratic Labor Party (PDT), being appointed as candidate for Vice Mayor along with Haddad, but both were defeated in the first round.

2016 elections
In the 2016 elections, Chalita was candidate for Vice Mayor for the PDT along Fernando Haddad, but obtained only 16.7% of the valid votes, being defeated by the PSDB ticket composed by João Doria for Mayor and Bruno Covas for Vice Mayor in the first round.

2018 elections
Chalita is supposed to be candidate for Governor of São Paulo by the PDT in the 2018 elections. The president of the party, Carlos Lupi, invited him, who didn't accepted or refused his candidacy.