Aécio Neves facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aécio Neves
Neves in 2014
Senator for Minas Gerais
In office 1 February 2011 – 1 February 2019
National President of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party
In office 18 May 2013 – 18 May 2017
Preceded by	Sérgio Guerra
Succeeded by	Tasso Jereissati (Acting)
Governor of Minas Gerais
In office 1 January 2003 – 31 March 2010
Vice Governor	Clésio Andrade (2003–07) Antônio Anastasia (2007–10)
Preceded by	Itamar Franco
Succeeded by	Antônio Anastasia
President of the Chamber of Deputies
In office 14 February 2001 – 17 December 2002
Preceded by	Michel Temer
Succeeded by	João Paulo Cunha
Federal Deputy for Minas Gerais
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2019
In office 1 February 1987 – 17 December 2002
Chair of the Chamber Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 March 2021
Preceded by	Eduardo Bolsonaro
Personal details
Born	Aécio Neves da Cunha (1960-03-10) 10 March 1960 (age 65) Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Political party	PSDB (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	PMDB (1980–88)
Spouses	Andréa Falcão ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 1998)​ Letícia Weber ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	Gabriela (b. 1991) Bernardo (b. 2014) Júlia (b. 2014)
Alma mater	Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (B.Ec.)

Aécio Neves da Cunha (born 10 March 1960) is a Brazilian politician and economist. He was the 17th Governor of Minas Gerais from 2003 to 2010. He also served as a Senator and is currently a member of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. In 2014, he ran for president but lost to Dilma Rousseff.

A Politician's Journey

Aécio Neves was born in Belo Horizonte, a city in the state of Minas Gerais. He became the youngest governor in the history of that state. His political journey began when he worked as a personal secretary for his grandfather, Tancredo Neves. His grandfather was elected President of Brazil in 1985 but sadly passed away before he could take office.

Aécio Neves served four terms as an elected deputy for the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). He represented Minas Gerais in the Federal Chamber of Deputies from 1987 to 2002. He was also the President of the Chamber of Deputies in 2001 and 2002.

As governor, Aécio Neves started a program called "Management Shock." This program aimed to control the state's budget by reducing government spending. It also encouraged new investments. In 2010, he ran for the Brazilian Federal Senate and was elected. He became a Senator on February 1, 2011. Before that, he was a writer for the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.

In the 2014 Brazilian presidential election, Aécio Neves received many votes. He went to a second round of voting against Dilma Rousseff. However, he did not win the election.

Early Life and Family

Tancredo Neves and Aécio Neves (behind right) in 1984.

Aécio at the Senate in 2013.

Aécio giving a speech at the Senate in 2013.

Aécio's election office in 1986.

Aécio Neves comes from a family with a long history in politics in Minas Gerais. His mother is Inês Maria, and his father was a politician named Aécio Cunha. His maternal grandfather, Tancredo Neves, was very important in bringing democracy back to Brazil. He served as governor of Minas Gerais.

Aécio's paternal grandfather, Tristão Ferreira da Cunha, was also a politician, lawyer, and professor. He worked in the state government. Aécio's father, Aécio Cunha, was a state deputy and later a federal representative.

When Aécio was 10, his family moved to Rio de Janeiro. He later moved back to Belo Horizonte. He shared an apartment with his grandfather and father. He studied economics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais.

In 1982, Aécio helped his grandfather, Tancredo Neves, in his campaign for governor. Aécio became his private secretary in 1983. He also took part in the "Diretas Já" movement, which pushed for direct presidential elections. He joined his grandfather on trips to other democratic countries. These trips helped show that Brazil was returning to democracy. They visited leaders like US President Ronald Reagan and French President François Mitterrand.

Working in Congress

In 1986, Aécio Neves ran for the National Constituent Assembly. This group helped write Brazil's new constitution. He received the most votes for a congressman from Minas Gerais at that time. He helped create a rule that allowed people to vote at 16 years old.

In his second term (1991-1995), he voted to remove President Fernando Collor de Mello from office. In 1992, Aécio ran for mayor of Belo Horizonte but did not win. He was reelected to Congress for a third term in 1994. During this time, he became the leader of the PSDB party in Minas Gerais. In 1997, he became the PSDB's leader in Congress.

Leading the Chamber of Deputies

In 2001, Aécio Neves was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies. He received more votes than all his opponents combined. He served as president of Congress from February 2001 to December 2002. During this time, he temporarily served as President of Brazil starting on June 26, 2001.

As president, he introduced the "Ethical Package." These were rules to make sure politicians acted properly. He helped pass votes to end special protection for common crimes committed by members of Congress. He also set up a code of ethics and an Ethics Committee. He made it possible for the public to follow new laws online. He also cut down on Congress's spending and returned the saved money to the government.

Serving as Senator

Aécio Neves was elected Senator on October 3, 2010. He received over 7.5 million votes. As a Senator, he worked on committees for political reform, constitutional affairs, and justice. He also participated in the Economic Affairs Committee. He supported ideas like reducing taxes and changing how money from mining was paid.

Key Achievements as Governor

Neves becoming governor of Minas Gerais in 2003.

On October 6, 2002, Aécio Neves was elected governor of Minas Gerais. He was reelected in 2006, becoming one of the longest-serving governors in the state's history.

Helping Communities

Governor of Minas Gerais in 2007.

Aécio Neves started several social programs. One was the Project to Combat Rural Poverty (PCRP). This project helped 188 towns in Northern Minas Gerais. Communities decided what they needed most, from building kindergartens to starting craft groups or fish farms.

He also launched the Youth Savings Program in 2007. This program helped high school students from risky areas. Students who met certain goals, like good attendance and grades, received money after graduating. This money could be used for their future careers. Over 30,000 students took part in this program. They received English classes, computer skills, and job training.

Improving Transportation

In 2004, the Neves government started the Paving Program Links and Access Road program. This program paved roads to 225 towns that only had dirt roads before.

Building a New Government Center

The Administrative City Tancredo Neves was built to be the new main office for the State Government. Aécio Neves opened it on March 4, 2010. This date would have been his grandfather Tancredo Neves' 100th birthday. The buildings were designed by the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer.

"Management Shock" Program

A key part of Aécio's time as governor was the "Management Shock" program. This program aimed to make the government spend less on itself and invest more in people. It also worked to improve the quality of state government services. The program invested in training government workers.

In 2003, Neves created "Stay Alive." This program aimed to reduce violence in the state. It helped high-risk students and young adults. In areas where the program was active, violence rates dropped a lot. The program offered workshops on sports, culture, and job skills to keep young people away from crime.

In 2009, the state government opened the "Reference Center for Pregnant Women in Jail." This was the first prison in Brazil to house pregnant inmates and their babies. Aécio also launched the first prison in Brazil built and managed through a partnership between the government and a private company.

Running for President in 2014

Neves and his daughter Gabriela in 2010.

In December 2012, former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso suggested Aécio Neves as a candidate for president in 2014. In the October 2014 election, Neves got the second-highest number of votes in the first round. He then went to a second round against the current president, Dilma Rousseff. He lost the election on October 26, 2014, with 48.4% of the votes compared to Rousseff's 51.6%.

Personal Life

Aécio Neves was born into a political family in Belo Horizonte in 1960.

He married model Letícia Weber in 2013. They had twins, Bernardo and Julia, in September 2014. Aécio also has another daughter, Gabriela Falcão Neves, born in 1991 from his first marriage (1991-1998) to lawyer Andrea Falcão.

Elections

See also

In Spanish: Aécio Neves para niños