Wilson Witzel | |
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Governor of Rio de Janeiro | |
In office 1 January 2019 – 30 April 2021 Suspended: 28 August 2020 – 30 April 2021 | |
Vice Governor | Cláudio Castro |
Preceded by | Francisco Dornelles (acting) |
Succeeded by | Cláudio Castro |
Personal details | |
Born | Wilson José Witzel 19 February 1968 Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil |
Political party | PSC (2018–present) |
Spouse |
Helena Alves Brandão
(
m. 2004) |
Alma mater | Fluminense Federal University ( LL.B.) |
Occupation | Politician, Lawyer, Professor of Economic Criminal Law |
Known for | Former Federal Judge |
Signature |
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Military service | |
Allegiance |
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Branch/service |
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Rank |
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Wilson José Witzel (born 19 February 1968) is a Brazilian politician and lawyer who was the 63rd Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A member of the Social Christian Party, Witzel is a former federal judge and is an ex-marine. On 28 October 2018, he was elected Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro with a four-year term beginning in January 2019, replacing Luiz Fernando Pezão, [1] until his impeachment in April 2021. [2]
Witzel holds a master's in Civil Law, and has been a professor of Criminal Law for more than 20 years. As a federal judge, he served in different civil and criminal courts in Rio de Janeiro and in Vitória (Espírito Santo). [3]
Witzel was born in 1968 in Jundiaí. [4] He spent 17 years acting in civil and criminal courts. He was a tenured federal judge of the 6th Federal Civil Court until 2 March 2018, when he resigned to join the ( PSC). [5]
He officially announced his candidacy for the position of Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro on 21 July 2018. [6] His deputy was Rio de Janeiro city councilor Cláudio Castro, also of the PSC. [7] [8]
Witzel initially polled at just 1%, tied with André Monteiro ( PRTB), Dayse Oliveira ( PSTU) and Marcelo Trindade ( NOVO), and was only ahead of Luiz Eugênio Honorato ( PCO). He was behind Romário ( PODE), Eduardo Paes ( DEM), Anthony Garotinho ( PRP), Tarcísio Motta ( PSOL), Indio da Costa ( PSD), Pedro Fernandes ( PDT) and Marcia Tiburi ( PT). [9]
Polls closer to the election placed him much higher at 17%, still behind Eduardo Paes, who had 27%, and tied with Romario. [10] This was considered surprising because Witzel was a relatively unknown in the state and had only 27 seconds of electoral advertising time. Many commentators attributed his popularity to his early endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro PSL. [11] [12] [13]
On 7 October 2018, in the first round of the 2018 Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election, Witzel received 3,154,771 votes or 41.28%, coming in first; second was Eduardo Paes, of the DEM, former mayor of Rio de Janeiro, with 1,494,831 votes or 19.56%, Tarcísio Motta came third with 10.72%. Witzel and Paes advanced to the second round. The result was considered a surprise given Witzel's low standing in the early polls.
In the second round of the elections, Wilson Witzel was endorsed by the PRTB's candidate André Monteiro, [14] the Party of the Republic (now known as the Liberal Party), [15] from PSD candidate Indio da Costa, who initially remained neutral [16] saying that he did not support Witzel, but later decided to declare his support for the Witzel, [17] and from PDT's candidate Pedro Fernandes. [18]
On 28 October 2018, in the second round of the gubernatorial electtion, Witzel obtained 4,675,355 votes or 59.87%. He was thus elected Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro for a term of 4 years starting January 2019; his opponent, Eduardo Paes, from DEM, received 3,134,400 votes or 40.13%. [19] [20]
An ally of president Jair Bolsonaro, Witzel was elected after promising a "slaughter" of drug gangsters. Wilson Witzel officially took office as governor on 1 January 2019. [21] However, because Jair Bolsonaro took office as president of Brazil on the same day, Witzel's ceremony was postponed to 2 January 2019. [22] [23] For his ceremony, Witzel had a special "governor's sash" made to be handed over to him by then-acting governor Francisco Dornelles. The practice, however, isn't official in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and wasn't tradition in the state's ceremonies. [22] [24] [25]
In September 2019, following the killing of an eight-year-old girl, hundreds protested in anger in the Complexo do Alemão favela where she was shot, and the hashtag "#aculpaedowitzel" ( Portuguese: A culpa é do Witzel, lit. 'It's Witzel's fault') led trending topics in Brazil. Cartoons showing the smiling governor wiping blood from his face. [26]
On 14 April 2020, Witzel tested positive for COVID-19 [27] shortly after on 11 June 2020 an impeachment process was opened against Witzel alleging graft in purchase of medical supplies. [28]
On 28 August 2020, the Superior Court of Justice suspended Witzel from office as a result of suspected fraudulent purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. [29]
Wilson Witzel | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Governor of Rio de Janeiro | |
In office 1 January 2019 – 30 April 2021 Suspended: 28 August 2020 – 30 April 2021 | |
Vice Governor | Cláudio Castro |
Preceded by | Francisco Dornelles (acting) |
Succeeded by | Cláudio Castro |
Personal details | |
Born | Wilson José Witzel 19 February 1968 Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil |
Political party | PSC (2018–present) |
Spouse |
Helena Alves Brandão
(
m. 2004) |
Alma mater | Fluminense Federal University ( LL.B.) |
Occupation | Politician, Lawyer, Professor of Economic Criminal Law |
Known for | Former Federal Judge |
Signature |
![]() |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
![]() |
Branch/service |
![]() |
Rank |
![]() |
Wilson José Witzel (born 19 February 1968) is a Brazilian politician and lawyer who was the 63rd Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A member of the Social Christian Party, Witzel is a former federal judge and is an ex-marine. On 28 October 2018, he was elected Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro with a four-year term beginning in January 2019, replacing Luiz Fernando Pezão, [1] until his impeachment in April 2021. [2]
Witzel holds a master's in Civil Law, and has been a professor of Criminal Law for more than 20 years. As a federal judge, he served in different civil and criminal courts in Rio de Janeiro and in Vitória (Espírito Santo). [3]
Witzel was born in 1968 in Jundiaí. [4] He spent 17 years acting in civil and criminal courts. He was a tenured federal judge of the 6th Federal Civil Court until 2 March 2018, when he resigned to join the ( PSC). [5]
He officially announced his candidacy for the position of Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro on 21 July 2018. [6] His deputy was Rio de Janeiro city councilor Cláudio Castro, also of the PSC. [7] [8]
Witzel initially polled at just 1%, tied with André Monteiro ( PRTB), Dayse Oliveira ( PSTU) and Marcelo Trindade ( NOVO), and was only ahead of Luiz Eugênio Honorato ( PCO). He was behind Romário ( PODE), Eduardo Paes ( DEM), Anthony Garotinho ( PRP), Tarcísio Motta ( PSOL), Indio da Costa ( PSD), Pedro Fernandes ( PDT) and Marcia Tiburi ( PT). [9]
Polls closer to the election placed him much higher at 17%, still behind Eduardo Paes, who had 27%, and tied with Romario. [10] This was considered surprising because Witzel was a relatively unknown in the state and had only 27 seconds of electoral advertising time. Many commentators attributed his popularity to his early endorsement of Jair Bolsonaro PSL. [11] [12] [13]
On 7 October 2018, in the first round of the 2018 Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election, Witzel received 3,154,771 votes or 41.28%, coming in first; second was Eduardo Paes, of the DEM, former mayor of Rio de Janeiro, with 1,494,831 votes or 19.56%, Tarcísio Motta came third with 10.72%. Witzel and Paes advanced to the second round. The result was considered a surprise given Witzel's low standing in the early polls.
In the second round of the elections, Wilson Witzel was endorsed by the PRTB's candidate André Monteiro, [14] the Party of the Republic (now known as the Liberal Party), [15] from PSD candidate Indio da Costa, who initially remained neutral [16] saying that he did not support Witzel, but later decided to declare his support for the Witzel, [17] and from PDT's candidate Pedro Fernandes. [18]
On 28 October 2018, in the second round of the gubernatorial electtion, Witzel obtained 4,675,355 votes or 59.87%. He was thus elected Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro for a term of 4 years starting January 2019; his opponent, Eduardo Paes, from DEM, received 3,134,400 votes or 40.13%. [19] [20]
An ally of president Jair Bolsonaro, Witzel was elected after promising a "slaughter" of drug gangsters. Wilson Witzel officially took office as governor on 1 January 2019. [21] However, because Jair Bolsonaro took office as president of Brazil on the same day, Witzel's ceremony was postponed to 2 January 2019. [22] [23] For his ceremony, Witzel had a special "governor's sash" made to be handed over to him by then-acting governor Francisco Dornelles. The practice, however, isn't official in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and wasn't tradition in the state's ceremonies. [22] [24] [25]
In September 2019, following the killing of an eight-year-old girl, hundreds protested in anger in the Complexo do Alemão favela where she was shot, and the hashtag "#aculpaedowitzel" ( Portuguese: A culpa é do Witzel, lit. 'It's Witzel's fault') led trending topics in Brazil. Cartoons showing the smiling governor wiping blood from his face. [26]
On 14 April 2020, Witzel tested positive for COVID-19 [27] shortly after on 11 June 2020 an impeachment process was opened against Witzel alleging graft in purchase of medical supplies. [28]
On 28 August 2020, the Superior Court of Justice suspended Witzel from office as a result of suspected fraudulent purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. [29]