{{Short description|Brazilian politician and journalist (born 1942)}} {{Portuguese name|Costa|Martins}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Lasier Martins | image = Lasier Martins, Senador.jpg | alt = | office = Senator for Rio Grande do Sul | term_start = 1 February 2015 | term_end = 1 February 2023 | office1 = Second Vice President of the Federal Senate | term_start1 = 6 February 2019 | term_end1 = 1 February 2021 | president1 = Davi Alcolumbre | predecessor1 = João Alberto de Souza | successor1 = Romário Faria | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|4|14|df=y}} | birth_place = General Câmara, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | party = PODE (2019–present) | other_party = {{Plainlist| * PDT (2013–2016) * PSD (2016–2019) }} | profession = Journalist | occupation = Politician }}
'''Lasier Costa Martins''' (born 14 April 1942) is a Brazilian politician, journalist, and television presenter. A member of the Progressive Party (PP), he represented the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the Federal Senate from 2015 to 2023. Before entering politics, Martins had a long career in broadcast journalism, becoming widely known in southern Brazil for his work as a television commentator and presenter, particularly on legal, consumer-rights, and public-interest issues.
In 2006, a video was uploaded to YouTube showing Martins receiving an electric shock while examining grapes at the Grape Festival in Caxias do Sul in 1996, an incident that later gained widespread attention on Brazilian television and later the internet.
== Journalism career == Lasier Costa Martins built a long career in broadcast journalism in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, becoming widely known through decades of work in radio and television.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lasier Martins construiu carreira como comunicador antes da política |url=https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/politica/noticia/2014/10/lasier-martins-construiu-carreira-como-comunicador-antes-da-politica-4622217.html |work=GaúchaZH |language=pt |date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref> He gained prominence as a television commentator focusing on consumer protection, public safety, and accountability in public administration, particularly through editorial commentary and on-air denunciations of abuses.<ref>{{cite news |title=Do jornalismo à política: a trajetória de Lasier Martins |url=https://www.metropoles.com/brasil/politica-brasil/do-jornalismo-a-politica-a-trajetoria-de-lasier-martins |work=Metrópoles |language=pt |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>
In 2006, a video circulated online showing Martins receiving an electric shock while examining grapes at the Grape Festival in Caxias do Sul in 1996, an incident that later drew national attention after being widely shared on YouTube.<ref>{{cite news |title='YouTube não tem graça', diz vítima das uvas |url=http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Tecnologia/0,,MUL12790-6174,00.html |work=G1 |author=Juliana Carpanez |date=March 21, 2007 |access-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref>
== Political career == After decades in journalism, Martins entered electoral politics and was elected to the Federal Senate in 2014, representing the state of Rio Grande do Sul.<ref>{{cite web |title=Senador Lasier Martins |url=http://www25.senado.leg.br/web/senadores/senador/-/perfil/5533 |work=Federal Senate |language=pt |access-date=August 17, 2016}}</ref> He took office in February 2015 and served one term, leaving the Senate at the end of his mandate in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biografia do senador Lasier Martins |url=https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/senadores/senador/5533 |work=Agência Senado |language=pt |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>
During his tenure, Martins advocated stricter criminal legislation, judicial reform, and changes to Brazil's political system, positions that aligned him with law-and-order and institutional-reform agendas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lasier Martins defende endurecimento das leis penais no Senado |url=https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/politica/noticia/2016-05/lasier-martins-defende-endurecimento-das-leis-penais |work=Agência Brasil |language=pt |date=May 18, 2016 |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref> Over the course of his political career, he was affiliated with more than one political party, reflecting shifts within Brazil's center-right political field.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trocas partidárias marcaram trajetória de Lasier Martins |url=https://www.metropoles.com/brasil/politica-brasil/trocas-partidarias-marcaram-trajetoria-de-lasier-martins-no-senado |work=Metrópoles |language=pt |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>
== Public image == Martins’ public image has often been associated with a confrontational rhetorical style, which carried over from his work in journalism into his political activities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Estilo combativo marca atuação de Lasier Martins no Senado |url=https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/politica/2019/11/10/estilo-combativo-marca-atuacao-de-lasier-martins-no-senado.html |work=Correio Braziliense |language=pt |date=November 10, 2019 |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref> Brazilian media have frequently described him as a polarizing figure, drawing both support and criticism for his outspoken positions on crime, justice, and institutional reform.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lasier Martins divide opiniões no cenário político |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/politica/lasier-martins-divide-opinioes-no-cenario-politico-23694469 |work=O Globo |language=pt |access-date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|br-sen}} {{s-bef|before=João Alberto de Souza}} {{s-ttl|title=Second Vice President of the Federal Senate|years=2019–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Romário Faria}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martins, Lasier}} Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:People from Rio Grande do Sul Category:Democratic Labour Party (Brazil) politicians Category:Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 2011) politicians Category:Podemos (Brazil) politicians Category:Members of the Federal Senate (Brazil)
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