Eduardo Campos

Eduardo Campos was a Brazilian economist and politician who was born in Recife in 1965. He was the grandson of Miguel Arraes, a former governor of Pernambuco and a prominent figure in Brazilian politics. Campos graduated in economics from the Federal University of Pernambuco and became a professor at the same institution. He started his political career as a state deputy in 1990 and then became a federal deputy in 1994. He was re-elected three times and served as the leader of the government in the Chamber of Deputies. He also served as the Minister of Science and Technology in the first term of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In 2006, he was elected governor of Pernambuco with 65% of the votes. He was re-elected in 2010 with 83% of the votes, the highest percentage in the country. He was praised for his social and economic policies, which improved the quality of life and reduced the inequality in the state. He also invested in education, health, infrastructure, and renewable energy. He was considered one of the most popular and influential governors in Brazil. In 2013, he resigned as the president of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) and announced his candidacy for the presidency of Brazil in the 2014 election. He formed an alliance with Marina Silva, a former senator and environmentalist, who became his running mate. He was seen as a third way between the incumbent Dilma Rousseff and the opposition leader Aécio Neves. He advocated for political reform, fiscal responsibility, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. He died in a plane crash in Santos, São Paulo, on 13 August 2014, along with six other people. He was 49 years old and left behind his wife Renata and five children. He was buried in the Cemetery of Santo Amaro in Recife. His death shocked the nation and had a significant impact on the election. Silva replaced him as the PSB candidate and came in third place in the first round. She later endorsed Neves, who lost to Rousseff in the second round. Campos is remembered as a charismatic and visionary leader who had a promising future in Brazilian politics.