Luiz Fernando de Souza, commonly known as Luiz Fernando Pezão or even Pezão (English: Bigfoot[2]) (born 29 March 1958) is an entrepreneur, politician and former governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro. He was succeeded by acting Governor Francisco Dornelles from 28 March 2016 to 31 October 2016.

Luiz Fernando Pezão
Luiz Fernando Pezão
62nd Governor of Rio de Janeiro
In office
4 April 2014 – 1 January 2019
Suspended: 29 November 2018 – 1 January 2019[1]
Vice GovernorFrancisco Dornelles
Preceded bySérgio Cabral Filho
Succeeded byFrancisco Dornelles (acting)
Vice Governor of Rio de Janeiro
In office
1 January 2007 – 3 April 2014
GovernorSérgio Cabral
Preceded byLuiz Paulo Conde
Succeeded byFrancisco Dornelles
6th Mayor of Piraí
In office
1 January 1997 – 1 January 2005
Preceded byArthur Henrique Tutuca
Succeeded byArthur Henrique Tutuca
Personal details
Born (1958-03-29) 29 March 1958 (age 66)
Piraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Political partyMDB
SpouseMaria Lúcia Jardim

Pezão has a degree in Administration and became a politician in the 1980s, as councillor of Piraí. He then served two times as mayor of the town.

In 2006, Pezão was chosen by Sérgio Cabral Filho, then candidate to the governorship of Rio de Janeiro, to be his running mate. They won the election and Pezão took office as Vice Governor and State Secretary of Public Works simultaneously.

He assumed the office of governor due to the resignation of Sérgio Cabral, that at the time had plans to run for the senate).

Pezão is a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement, one of the most powerful political parties of the country.

He was reelected governor in the 2014 gubernatorial election, running against former governor Anthony Garotinho, and the senators Lindberg Farias and Marcelo Crivella.

Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), attends a flag raising ceremony while he is in jail for corruption charges.

On 29 November 2018, after a request of the Prosecutor General of the Republic Raquel Dodge, accepted by the Justice of the Superior Court of Justice Felix Fischer, Pezão was arrested by the Federal Police in a new phase of Operation Car Wash, named Operation Werewolf (Operação Boca de Lobo).[1] Pezão is accused of proceeding with corruption schemes that began during the government of Sérgio Cabral. As his term ends on 31 December 2018, Vice Governor Francisco Dornelles took office as Acting Governor.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Lopes, Nathan; Quierati, Luciana; Lopes, Marcela (29 November 2018). "Governador do Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Fernando Pezão é preso" (in Portuguese). Uol. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. ^ "New Governor Focuses on UPPs and Metro". The Rio Times. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by Vice Governor of Rio de Janeiro
2007–2014
Vacant
Title next held by
Francisco Dornelles
Preceded by Governor of Rio de Janeiro
2014–2018
Succeeded by