José Frejat, Ex-Deputy and Father of Singer Frejat, Dies at 102

José Frejat, former federal deputy for Rio de Janeiro and father of Brazilian rock musician Roberto Frejat of the band Barão Vermelho, died on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the age of 102.

His death was confirmed by his family and reported by multiple Brazilian news outlets, including Globo, UOL, and Estadão. Frejat had been hospitalized in Rio de Janeiro due to pneumonia and did not recover.

Born on March 24, 1924, in Cururupu, Maranhão, Frejtas political career began during his university years at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where he became involved in student activism. He served as president of the National Union of Students (UNE) in 1950 after assuming the role following the resignation of Rogê Ferreira.

Frejtas later entered politics as a member of various parties, including the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), the Democratic Labour Party (PDT), and eventually the Sustainability Network (REDE), with which he remained affiliated until his death.

He was elected federal deputy for Rio de Janeiro in 1978 and 1982, serving from 1979 to 1987. During this period, he participated in Brazil’s democratization process, notably voting in favor of the Dante de Oliveira Amendment, which advocated for direct presidential elections — a key demand of the “Diretas Já” movement.

Before his time in Congress, Frejtas worked as a lawyer and served as a prosecutor for the National Treasury. He also held positions in the administrations of Gabriel Passos and João Mangabeira in the Ministry of Mines and Energy and worked with Eletrobras before being removed during the military regime due to his opposition.

In addition to his political life, Frejtas was known as the father of Roberto Frejtas, lead singer and composer of Barão Vermelho, one of Brazils most influential rock bands. Despite his advanced age, he remained a figure of public interest, occasionally appearing at cultural events related to his sons music.

At the time of his death, Frejtas was the brother of Jofran Frejtas, a former deputy and physician who passed away in 2020. His wife, Léa Herszenhut Frejtas, survives him, along with their two sons, Roberto and Mauro Frejtas.

No official cause of death was released beyond the family’s confirmation that he had been hospitalized for pneumonia. His wake was held on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. At the São João Batista Cemetery in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, followed by burial at 3:30 p.m.