Albuíno Cunha de Azeredo

Albuíno Cunha de Azeredo (January 21, 1945^[1] – September 16, 2018) was a Brazilian civil engineer and politician. He served as the Governor of Espírito Santo from 1991 until 1995 as a member of the Democratic Labour Party (PDT).^[1][2][3]

Early life and career[]

Albuíno Cunha de Azeredo was born on January 21, 1945, in Vila Velha to parents, Albuíno Ferreira de Azeredo and Normília Cunha de Azeredo.^[1] Before studying engineering, he worked as a street vendor and grocer during his early life. He also played club soccer for Atlético de Vitória.^[1] Azeredo received his engineering degree from the Federal University of Espírito Santo.^[1] He then moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he studied business administration and computer science at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro from 1968 to 1969.^[1]

He was hired by the Vale S.A. company (Companhia Vale do Rio Doce) at the invitation of company president  [pt]. While at Vale S.A., Cunha held the positions of permanent engineer, head of civil engineering, signaling coordinator of the Vitória a Minas railroad, and head of the company's Intervale S.A. subsidiary.

Azeredo founded his own engineering firm, called Engenharia e Estudos Ferroviários, in 1977. The company eventually expanded to five Brazilian states, as well as an office in London.^[1]

Political career[]

Azeredo was originally joined the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), which opposed the military dictatorship, in 1970.^[1][3] However, once other parties were granted limited recognition in 1979, Cunha switched to the new Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB).^[1]

He worked as the secretary of planning for the municipality of Cariacica during the 1980s, until Espírito Santo Governor  [pt] appointed him to his cabinet as state Secretary of Planning and Transport in 1988.^[3] During his tenure as Secretary of Planning, Azeredo established the  [pt] in 1989, which reorganized the public transportation system in the Vitória metropolitan area.^[1]

In early 1990, Azeredo joined the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) at the invitation of Waldir Pires, a then federal deputy who had recently served as Governor of Bahia.^[1] Azeredo soon announced his candidacy for Governor of Espírito Santo in the 1990 state gubernatorial election.^[1] Azeredo defeated his opponent,  [pt] of the now defunct Social Labour Party (PST) by 44% to 36% in the gubernatorial first round, and 51% to 25% in the second round.^[1] During his tenure as governor, Azeredo oversaw the visits of Pope John Paul II and South African President Nelson Mandela to Espírito Santo.^[3]

In October 1998, Azeredo once again ran for Governor of Espírito Santo as the head of a state coalition formed by the Democratic Labour Party (PDT), the Popular Socialist Party (PPS), and several smaller parties.^[1] However, Azeredo was defeated by his former 1990 opponent,  [pt] of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) in the first round.^[1]

Azeredo was hospitalized at the Hospital Vila Velha on September 12, 2018 while visiting from his home in Rio de Janeiro.^[1][2] He was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to the ICU.^[1] However, five days later, Azeredo succumbed to complications of pneumonia and cardiac arrest at the hospital at approximately 7:50 am on September 16, 2018, at the age of 73.^[1][3] He was laid in state at the Legislative Assembly of Espírito Santo in Vitória before burial in the Parque da Paz cemetery at Ponta da Frut in his native Vila Velha.^[1][3]

References[]