List of governors of Rio de Janeiro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Rio de Janeiro
Coat of arms
Incumbent Cláudio Castro since 1 May 2021
Style	Mr. Governor or even simply Governor (informal) Most Excellent Mr. Governor (formal) His Excellency (alternative formal, diplomatic)
Residence	Laranjeiras Palace
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	1989 State Constitution
Inaugural holder	Fonseca e Silva
Formation	15 November 1889; 135 years ago (1889-11-15)
Deputy	Vice Governor of Rio de Janeiro

A governor is like the main leader of a state, similar to how a president leads a country. They are in charge of making sure things run smoothly and that the state's laws are followed. This page lists the people who have served as governors (called governadores in Portuguese) or temporary leaders (interventores) of the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Governors of Rio de Janeiro State

The State of Rio de Janeiro has had many leaders since it became a state. These leaders have guided the state through different times in Brazil's history.

Early Years: The First Republic (1889–1930)

Brazil became a republic in 1889, meaning it was no longer ruled by an emperor. During this time, states like Rio de Janeiro began to elect their own governors.

No.		Governor	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election	Vice Governor
1		Fonseca e Silva (1848–1906)	15 November 1889 (1889-11-15)	16 November 1889 (1889-11-16)	1 day		Independent	–	Vacant
2		Francisco Portela (1833–1913)	16 November 1889 (1889-11-16)	10 December 1891 (1891-12-10)	2 years, 24 days		Fluminense Republican Party	1891	Manuel Torres (Fluminense Republican Party) Teófilo Almeida (Fluminense Republican Party) Cirilo Fagundes (Fluminense Republican Party)
9		Nilo Peçanha (1867–1924)	31 December 1903 (1903-12-31)	1 November 1906 (1906-11-01)	2 years, 305 days		Fluminense Republican Party	1903	Oliveira Botelho (Fluminense Republican Party)
13		Nilo Peçanha (1867–1924)	31 December 1914 (1914-12-31)	7 May 1917 (1917-05-07)	2 years, 127 days		Fluminense Republican Party	1914	Francisco Guimarães (Fluminense Republican Party)
19		Feliciano Sodré (1881–1945)	23 December 1923 (1923-12-23)	23 December 1927 (1927-12-23)	4 years, 0 days		Conservative Republican Party	1923	Paulino de Souza Júnior (Conservative Republican Party) João Werneck (Conservative Republican Party)

The Vargas Era (1930–1945)

This period was a time of big changes in Brazil, led by President Getúlio Vargas. During this era, some governors were not elected but were appointed by the national government.

No.		Governor	Took office	Left office	Time in office
21		Demócrito Barbosa (1880–1961)	24 October 1930 (1930-10-24)	27 October 1930 (1930-10-27)	3 days
23		Mena Barreto (1874–1933)	29 May 1931 (1931-05-29)	4 November 1931 (1931-11-04)	159 days
29		Amaral Peixoto (1905–1989)	11 November 1937 (1937-11-11)	29 October 1945 (1945-10-29)	7 years, 352 days

The Fourth Republic (1945–1964)

After the Vargas Era, Brazil returned to a more democratic system. Governors were once again elected by the people of Rio de Janeiro.

No.		Governor	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election	Vice Governor
36		Macedo Soares (1901–1989)	24 February 1947 (1947-02-24)	31 January 1951 (1951-01-31)	3 years, 341 days		Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 1945–1965)	1947	João Guimarães (Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 1945–1965))
37		Amaral Peixoto (1805–1989)	31 January 1951 (1951-01-31)	31 January 1955 (1955-01-31)	4 years, 0 days		Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 1945–1965)	1950	Tarcísio Miranda (PST)
41		Roberto Silveira (1923–1961)	31 January 1959 (1959-01-31)	28 February 1961 (1961-02-28)	2 years, 28 days		PTB	1958	Celso Peçanha (Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 1945–1965))
42		Celso Peçanha (1916–2016)	28 February 1961 (1961-02-28)	7 July 1962 (1962-07-07)	1 year, 129 days		Social Democratic Party (Brazil, 1945–1965)	–	Vacant

Military Dictatorship (1964–1985)

During this time, Brazil was under military rule. Governors were often chosen by the military government, not directly elected by the people.

No.		Governor	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election	Vice Governor
47		Paulo Torres (1903–2000)	4 May 1964 (1964-05-04)	12 August 1966 (1966-08-12)	2 years, 100 days		ARENA	1964	Simão Mansur (UDN) Teotônio Araújo (ARENA)
49		Geremias Fontes (1930–2010)	31 January 1967 (1967-01-31)	31 March 1971 (1971-03-31)	4 years, 59 days		ARENA	1966	Heli Ribeiro Gomes (ARENA)
51		Faria Lima (1917–2011)	15 March 1975 (1975-03-15)	15 March 1979 (1979-03-15)	4 years, 0 days		ARENA	1974	Vacant
52		Chagas Freitas (1914–1991)	15 March 1979 (1979-03-15)	15 March 1983 (1983-03-15)	4 years, 0 days		PMDB	1978	Hamilton Xavier (PMDB)

Modern Era: The Sixth Republic (1985–Present)

Since 1985, Brazil has been a full democracy again, and the people of Rio de Janeiro have been able to elect their governors freely.

No.		Governor	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party		Election	Vice Governor
53		Leonel Brizola (1922–2004)	15 March 1983 (1983-03-15)	15 March 1987 (1987-03-15)	4 years, 0 days		PDT	1982	Darcy Ribeiro (PDT)
55		Leonel Brizola (1922–2004)	15 March 1991 (1991-03-15)	2 April 1994 (1994-04-02)	3 years, 18 days		PDT	1990	Nilo Batista (PDT)
58		Anthony Garotinho (born 1960)	1 January 1999 (1999-01-01)	6 April 2002 (2002-04-06)	3 years, 95 days		PDT PSB	1998	Benedita da Silva (PT)
59		Benedita da Silva (born 1942)	6 April 2002 (2002-04-06)	1 January 2003 (2003-01-01)	270 days		PT	–	Vacant
60		Rosinha Garotinho (born 1963)	1 January 2003 (2003-01-01)	1 January 2007 (2007-01-01)	4 years, 0 days		PSB PMDB	2002	Luiz Paulo Conde (PSB)
61		Sérgio Cabral Filho (born 1963)	1 January 2007 (2007-01-01)	3 April 2014 (2014-04-03)	7 years, 92 days		PMDB	2006 2010	Luiz Fernando Pezão (PMDB)
62		Luiz Fernando Pezão (born 1955)	3 April 2014 (2014-04-03)	1 January 2019 (2019-01-01)	4 years, 273 days		PMDB	– 2014	Vacant Francisco Dornelles (PP)
63		Wilson Witzel (born 1968)	1 January 2019 (2019-01-01)	30 April 2021 (2021-04-30)	2 years, 119 days		PSC	2018	Cláudio Castro (PSC)
64		Cláudio Castro (born 1979)	30 April 2021 (2021-04-30)	Incumbent	4 years, 46 days		PSC PL	– 2022	Vacant Thiago Pampolha (Brazil Union)

Images for kids

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  Baltasar da Silveira

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  José Porciúncula

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  Maurício de Abreu

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  Alberto Torres

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  Quintino Bocaiuva

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  Oliveira Botelho

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  Alfredo Backer

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  Francisco Guimarães

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  Aurelino Leal

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  Mena Barreto

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  Pantaleão Pessoa

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  Newton Cavalcanti

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  Protógenes Guimarães

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  Heitor Collet

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  Lúcio Meira

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  Hugo Silva

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  Miguel Couto Filho

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  Roberto Silveira

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  José Janotti

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  Raimundo Padilha

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  Moreira Franco

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  Nilo Batista

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  Marcello Alencar