Tibira do Maranhão
The Tibira do Maranhão was the first documented case of execution due to homosexuality in Brazil. Tibira was a Tupinambá native of Maranhão.Events
In 1614, 2 years after the arrival of French colonizers in Northern Brazil, Tibira, which means homosexual in the Tupi language, was sentenced to death for sodomy by Yves D'Évreux, a Capuchin monk Tibira attempted to escape the charge, and fled into the woods for several days, but was re-captured by French authorities. Before his execution, Tibira was baptized by D'Évreux in the name of Saint Dismas, strapped to a cannon, which was fired, killing him. His last words were:
In 2014, gay activist Luiz Mott started a campaign to get Tibira canonized as a queer saint and recognized as a martyr. On December 5, 2016, a monument commemorating Tibira was dedicated in Maranhão, Praia Grande, during the State Week of Human Rights.
