Aécio Neves | |
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President of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party | |
Assumed office 18 May 2013 |
|
Preceded by | Sérgio Guerra |
Senator from Minas Gerais |
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Assumed office February 1, 2010 |
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37th Governor of Minas Gerais | |
In office 1 January 2003 – 31 March 2010 |
|
Vice Governor |
Clésio Andrade Antônio Anastasia |
Preceded by | Itamar Franco |
Succeeded by | Antônio Anastasia |
President of the Chamber of Deputies | |
In office 14 February 2001 – 14 December 2002 |
|
Preceded by | Michel Temer |
Succeeded by | João Paulo Cunha |
Personal details | |
Born |
Aécio Neves da Cunha 10 March 1960 Belo Horizonte, Brazil |
Political party |
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (1980-1988) Brazilian Social Democracy Party (1988–present) |
Spouse(s) | Andréa Falcão (1991–1998) Letícia Weber (2013–present) |
Children | Gabriela Bernardo Júlia |
Alma mater | Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Aécio Neves da Cunha (Brazilian Portuguese: [aˈɛsjw ˈnɛvjs dä ˈkũɲɐ]; born 10 March 1960) is a Brazilian economist, politician and president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). He was the 17th Governor of Minas Gerais from 1 January 2003 to 31 March 2010, and is currently a member of the Brazilian Federal Senate. He narrowly lost in the runoff presidential election against Dilma Rousseff in 2014.
Born in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Neves was the youngest governor in the state's history. He began his political career as a personal secretary of his grandfather, Tancredo Neves, who was elected President of Brazil in 1985, but died before taking office. Aécio Neves served the World Federation of Democratic Youth in 1985 and four terms as an elected deputy for the Brazilian Social Democracy Party in the Federal Chamber of Deputies from 1 February 1987 to 14 December 2002, representing Minas Gerais. He was also President of the Chamber of Deputies in 2001/02.
As governor, Aécio Neves introduced the "Management Shock", a set of sweeping reforms designed to bring the state budget under control by reducing government expenditure and promoting investment. Having been tipped as a potential candidate for the Brazilian Presidential elections in 2010, Neves announced his intention to stand aside from the race at the end of 2009. He ran for the Brazilian Federal Senate instead, and was elected a Senator representing the State of Minas Gerais. He took office as a Senator of the Republic on 1 February 2011.