Alcides Bernal

Alcides Jesus Peralta Bernal (born July 14, 1965) is a Brazilian lawyer, radio broadcaster and politician who served as the 62nd Mayor of Campo Grande, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. His political career has been marked by controversy, including impeachment proceedings and legal battles.

Alcides Bernal was born in Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul. He holds a law degree from the Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB). Prior to entering politics, Bernal gained prominence as a radio broadcaster in the state, working for Rede MS, where he hosted the programs "Refazenda" and "Cruzando Fronteiras."^[1]

Bernal began his political career as a city councilor in Campo Grande, serving two terms. In 2010, he was elected as a state deputy for Mato Grosso do Sul, representing the region in the state legislature.

In 2012, Bernal launched his campaign for mayor of Campo Grande, running as a member of the Progressive Party (PP). He won the election in the second round with 62.55% of the vote, defeating Edson Giroto of the PMDB, and took office on January 1, 2013. His victory was seen as a major upset, as Campo Grande had been governed by the PMDB for over two decades.^[2]

Bernal's time in office was tumultuous. In March 2014, he was impeached by the Campo Grande city council over allegations of administrative misconduct. The council cited nine instances of alleged political and administrative wrongdoing. His vice mayor, Gilmar Olarte, assumed the office following Bernal's impeachment.^[3]

However, Bernal fought back in court and, in August 2015, was reinstated as mayor by a judicial ruling from the Mato Grosso do Sul Court of Justice. His return to office was seen as a dramatic turn in the city's political landscape. He completed the remainder of his term but did not secure reelection in 2016.

Bernal sought reelection in the 2016 mayoral race but failed to advance to the second round, finishing just outside the cutoff by a narrow margin of 2,630 votes. He subsequently endorsed Marquinhos Trad, who went on to win the election.^[4]

Alcides Bernal is married to Mirian Elzi Gonçalves. In addition to his political career, he continues to be involved in legal work and media broadcasting.

In his political career, in 2012, during his mayoral campaign, a video uploaded to YouTube falsely accused him of promoting abortion and committing other serious offenses, leading to the arrest of Google's Brazil director after the company refused to remove the content. Additionally, Bernal faced accusations regarding an alleged improper loan made to a taxi cooperative and legal issues over unpaid child support.^[5]