Rodrigo Cunha

Last updated
Rodrigo Cunha
Foto oficial do senador Rodrigo Cunha.jpg
Cunha in 2019
Vice Mayor-elect of Maceió
Assuming office
1 January 2025

Rodrigo Santos Cunha (born 27 November 1954), better known as Rodrigo Cunha, is a Brazilian politician and lawyer, who has served as Senator for Alagoas since 2019 for the Podemos party, which has an anti-corruption platform. [1]

Contents

Cunha previously served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas for the centrist Brazilian Social Democracy Party, before running a bid for the senate, noted by a striking independence from his party's coalition with the Alagoas politician and former president Fernando Collor de Mello, who was impeached in 1992 accused of corruption.

Cunha ran for governor in 2022 as a part of the big-tent Brazil Union party, losing in the second round to Paulo Dantas, but beating out Collor. [2]

Early life and education

Rodrigo Cunha was born on May 11, 1981 in Arapiraca, Alagoas to doctor and former Federal Deputy Ceci Cunha and businessman Juvenal Cunha.

In 1998, his mother, then a federal deputy along with his father and grandmother, were murdered in a shootout, the crime was ordered by his mother's deputy so that he could take on the position of federal deputy. [3]

Cunha has degree in law from UFAL and a postgraduate degree in consumer law from UNIDERP.

Early career

He was Superintendent of PROCON of the State of Alagoas (2008-2015), Vice-President of the State Consumer Protection Council, Vice-President of the Brazilian Association of Procons (2013-2015) and member of the National Commission for Consumer Protection and Access to Justice.

Political career

State deputy (2015-2019)

In the 2014 state elections, he was the best-voted state deputy in Alagoas, with 60,759 votes. [4]

He was President of the Information Science and Technology Committee, vice-president of the Administration Committee and member of the Human Rights and Public Security Committee and the Transport, Communication, Services and Public Works Committee. [5]

Senator (2019-present)

Cunha has served as senator since 2019.

2018 Alagoas state elections

In the 2018 state elections, he was elected senator for Alagoas, obtaining 895,738 votes, which corresponds to 34.42% of valid votes. Thus being the most voted Senator in his state. [6]

Despite being elected as a member of the PSDB, he ran an independent campaign. At the beginning of the electoral race, he demonstrated dissatisfaction with the coalition made by his party with former president Fernando Collor for the dispute for state government and continued campaigning without associating his image with the party's majority ticket. [6]

Tenure

In June 2019, he voted against the government's Weapons Decree, which made carrying and possession more flexible for citizens. [7]

In February 2021, he was elected president of the Science, Technology, Innovation, Communication and IT Committee of the Federal Senate of Brazil for the 2021-2022 biennium. [8]

Cunha joined the Brazil Union in 2022, before joining Podemos in 2023.

2022 Alagoas gubernatorial election

In the 2022 elections, Rodrigo Cunha ran for state government, with state deputy Jó Pereira as his vice candidate.  He went to the second round against the government candidate, Paulo Dantas. Although political names from the state who supported his candidacy, such as the mayor of Maceió, João Henrique Caldas and the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, supported Jair Bolsonaro as a candidate for re-election to the presidency, Cunha did not publicly support any candidate, remaining in neutrality. [9]

This strategy of neutrality was also employed by other Brazil Union candidates like Silvio Mendes in Piauí and ACM Neto in Bahia. Only one governor was elected in the Northeast who did not support Lula in the second round: Pernambuco's Raquel Lyra

 On October 30, he was defeated in the dispute, having 47.67% of the votes against Dantas' 52.33%.

Personal life

Rodrigo Cunha separated in 2018 from Lavínia Cavalcanti, with whom he was married and had two children, João Juvenal, born in 2008, and Luna Ceci, born in 2011. [10]

Elections

YearElectionPartyOfficeCoalitionPartnersPartyVotesPercentResultRef.
2014State Elections of Alagoas PSDB State DeputyNone60,7594.25%Elected [4]
2018State Elections of Alagoas Senator [a] Alagoas with the people
(PTC, PSDB, PP, PSB, PSC, DEM, PROS, PRB)
Eudócia Caldas PSB 895,73834.42%Elected [6]
Henrique Arruda PROS
2022State Elections of Alagoas UNIÃO GovernorAlagoas deserves more
(UNIÃO, Always Forward (PSDB, Cidadania), PP, PSB)
Jó Pereira PSDB 407,22026.79%Second Round [11]
759,98447.67%Lost [12]
2024 Mayoral Elections of Maceió PODE Vice-MayorThe Force of Work
(PL, PODE, UNIÃO, Always Forward (PSDB, Cidadania), PP, Republicanos)
JHC PL 379,54483.25%Elected [13]
  1. Caldas and Arruda were elected as alternates on the same ticket as Cunha.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aécio Neves</span> Brazilian politician

Aécio Neves da Cunha is a Brazilian economist, politician and former 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 Chamber of Deputies. He lost in the runoff presidential election against Dilma Rousseff in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election</span>

The Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election was held on 5 October 2014 to elect the next governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a second-round runoff election was held on the 26th of October. Incumbent Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, who was running for his first full term, was forced into the runoff against Marcelo Crivella but ultimately won.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flávio Dino</span> Brazilian attorney, politician and teacher

Flávio Dino de Castro e Costa is a Brazilian attorney, Supreme Court Justice, politician and professor. A former federal judge, Dino was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2006 under the Communist Party banner, serving a four-year term until 2011, representing the state of Maranhão. He was elected as the governor of Maranhão after running in the 2014 election. He became the governor of Maranhão on 1 January 2015. He was reelected in 2018. In 2021, Dino left the Communist Party to join the Socialist Party, and was appointed Minister of Justice by President Lula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 São Paulo gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 São Paulo gubernatorial election occurred on 7 October 2018 and 28 October 2018. Voters elected a Governor, Vice Governor, 2 Senators, 70 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 94 Legislative Assembly members. The former governor, Márcio França, affiliated to the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) took office with the resignation of Geraldo Alckmin on 6 April 2018, and was eligible for a second term and ran for reelection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election</span>

The Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial election of October 2018 was for the election of the Governor and Vice Governor of Rio de Janeiro and 70 State Deputies. People also voted for 2 of 3 Senators of the state representation in the Federal legislative power, with 45 federal deputies representatives of the Rio de Janeiro State. A second round was held after no candidate managed to secure more than 50% of the Governor votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Brazilian municipal elections</span> Municipal elections in Brazil

Municipal elections took place in Brazil on 15 November 2020. Electors chose Mayors, Vice-Mayors and City Councillors of all 5,568 cities of the country. The partisan conventions took place between 31 August and 16 September. They were the first elections since Bolsonaro's election as President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 São Paulo gubernatorial election</span> Gubernatorial election held in Brazil

The 2022 São Paulo state election took place in the state of São Paulo, Brazil on 2 October 2022 and 30 October 2022. Voters elected a Governor, Vice Governor, one Senator, 70 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 94 Legislative Assembly members. The incumbent Governor, Rodrigo Garcia, of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), was eligible for a second term and ran for reelection.

Gubernatorial elections were held in Brazil on 2 October 2022 as part of the nationwide general elections to elect tickets with state governors and their vice governors. A second round was held on 30 October for states where no candidate was able to secure more than half of the votes in the first round.

The 2022 Rio Grande do Sul state election took place in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil on 2 October 2022. Voters elected a Governor, Vice Governor, one Senator, 31 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies and 55 Legislative Assembly members, with a possible second round to be held on 30 October 2022. Former governor Eduardo Leite, was eligible for a second term and announced that he's running for reelection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Paraná gubernatorial election</span> Gubernatorial election in Brazil

The 2022 Paraná state election took place in the state of Paraná, Brazil on 2 October 2022. Voters elected a Governor, Vice Governor, one Senator, 30 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 54 Legislative Assembly members. The incumbent Governor, Ratinho Júnior, of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), was reelected in the first round with 69.64% of the votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Minas Gerais gubernatorial election</span>


The 2022 Minas Gerais state elections took place in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil on 2 October 2022. Voters elected a governor, vice governor, one senator, 53 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 77 Legislative Assembly members. The incumbent governor, Romeu Zema, a member of the New Party, was eligible for a second term, and intended to run for reelection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Pernambuco gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Pernambuco state elections took place in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil on 2 October 2022. Voters elected a governor, vice governor, one senator, 25 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 49 Legislative Assembly members. Paulo Câmara, the incumbent governor of Pernambuco, was reelected in the first round in 2018 Pernambuco gubernatorial election, with 1,918,219 votes, the equivalent to 50.70% of the valid votes. He wasn't eligible for a new term, since he ran for governor in 2014 and 2018. In a crowded field, former mayor of Caruaru Raquel Lyra (PSDB) defeated Federal Deputy Marília Arraes (Solidarity) by close to 20 points in the second round. She was inaugurated on 1 January 2023.

The 2022 Ceara Gubernatorial election was held in the state of Ceará, Brazil on Sunday October 2. Voters elected the President and Vice President of the Republic, a Governor, Vice Governor of the State and a Senator of the Republic with two alternates, in addition to 22 Federal Deputies and 46 State Deputies. Those elected will take office on January 1 or February 1 of 2023 for terms on office lasting for four years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paulo Dantas</span> Governor of Alagoas since 2022

Paulo Suruagy do Amaral Dantas is a Brazilian politician affiliated with the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB), is the current governor of Alagoas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capitão Wagner</span> Brazilian politician

Wagner Sousa Gomes, also known as Capitão Wagner is a captain of the Military Police Reserve of the State of Ceará and a Brazilian politician affiliated to Brazil Union (UNIÃO). He was a federal deputy in office from 2019 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorginho Mello</span> Brazilian politician (born 1967)

Jorginho dos Santos Mello is a Brazilian politician, member of the Liberal Party (PL). He is the incumbent Governor of Santa Catarina and had served as Senator from 2019 to 2022. He resigned to run for the state governorship, being replaced by his substitute Ivete da Silveira (MDB). Mello is the Liberal Party state president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Santa Catarina gubernatorial election</span> Gubernatorial election held in Brazil

The 2022 Santa Catarina state election took place in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil on 2 October 2022 and 30 October 2022. Voters elected a Governor, Vice Governor, one Senator, 16 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies and 40 Legislative Assembly members. The incumbent Governor, Carlos Moisés, of the Republicans, was eligible for a second term and ran for reelection.

Ronaldo Augusto Lessa Santos GOMM is a Brazilian civil engineer and politician, former vice-president of Maceió, former governor of Alagoas for two states, former federal deputy for this state and former vice president from Maceió. He is currently vice-governor of Alagoas, affiliated with the Democratic Labor Party (PDT). He is the cousin of Federal Deputy, Maurício Quintella Lessa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André Ceciliano</span> Brazilian politician and lawyer

André Luiz Ceciliano is a Brazilian lawyer and politician affiliated with the Workers' Party (PT). He served as mayor of Paracambi twice and was elected state deputy of Rio de Janeiro four times. Ceciliano was also the president of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (ALERJ). He ran for a seat in the Federal Senate of Brazil in the 2022 Rio de Janeiro state election, but was defeated by Romário.

References

  1. "Senador Rodrigo Cunha - Senado Federal". www25.senado.leg.br. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  2. "Rodrigo Cunha é lançado candidato a governador de Alagoas pelo União Brasil". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  3. "Filho de deputada supostamente morta a mando de suplente deve se eleger senador por Alagoas". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2018-10-06. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  4. 1 2 "Resultado das Apurações dos votos do 2º turno nas Eleições 2014 em Alagoas para Governador, Senador, Deputados Federais e Deputados Estaduais". Eleições 2014 em AL (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  5. "SAPL - Sistema de Apoio ao Processo Legislativo". sapl.al.al.leg.br. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  6. 1 2 3 "Eleições 2018 em Alagoas". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  7. redação, Da (2019-06-18). "Veja como votou cada senador sobre decretos de porte e posse de armas | O TEMPO". www.otempo.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  8. Urupá, Marcos (2021-02-24). "Rodrigo Cunha é eleito presidente da Comissão de Ciência e Tecnologia no Senado". TELETIME News (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  9. "Rodrigo Cunha é lançado candidato a governador de Alagoas pelo União Brasil". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  10. "Sobre – Rodrigo Cunha – Nosso Senador – Alagoas" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  11. G1. "Apuração da Eleição 2022 por estado para Governador | Alagoas". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. "Eleições 2022 em Alagoas". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  13. "Quem é JHC, eleito prefeito em Maceió (AL)". ISTOÉ Independente (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2024-10-06. Retrieved 2024-10-23.