Rondon Pacheco

Pacheco was born in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, on 31 July 1919.^[1] He studied law at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG).^[2] He credited a class speech he delivered at UFMG in 1943 with sparking his interest in politics.^[2]

In 1947, Pacheco was elected to the state Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais as a member of the National Democratic Union (UDN).^[2] Three years later, in 1950, he was elected to the federal Chamber of Deputies in Rio de Janeiro, which was still the national capital at the time.^[1][2]

President Artur da Costa e Silva, the leader of the Brazilian military government, appointed Pacheco as his Chief of Staff from March 1967 until October 1969. The Chief of Staff is a senior aide to the Brazilian president and a member of the Cabinet of Brazil.

President Emílio Garrastazu Médici appointed Pacheco as the Governor of Minas Gerais from 1971 until 1975.^[1][3] In 1973, the state government under Governor Pacheco signed an agreement with Fiat Automobiles to open an automotive plant in the city of Betim, near Belo Horizonte.^[1][2] The Fiat plant opened in 1976.^[1]

Pacheco joined the Democratic Social Party (PDS) in 1976.^[2] He endorsed the candidacy of PMDB presidential candidate, Tancredo Neves, in the 1985 election.^[2] Pacheco left politics in 1986 after an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the Federal Senate.^[2][3]

A biographical documentary film on Pacheco's life, Algodão entre Espelhos, was released in 2012.^[2]

Pacheco had been hospitalized for pneumonia at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro from 9 June until 12 June 2016.^[1] He was then transferred to a hospital in his hometown of Uberlândia from 12 June until he was discharged from that facility on 29 June 2016.^[1] Rondon Pacheco died in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais on 4 July 2016, at the age of 96.^[1] He was survived by his wife, Marina de Freitas Pacheco, and two daughters, Vera and Maria Vitória.^[2] Their son died in an accident during the late 1960s.^[3]

Rondon Pacheco's funeral was held at the Palácio dos Leões (Palace of the Lions) in Uberlândia, with burial in the cemitério São Pedro.^[2][3]

Pacheco was the second former Governor of Minas Gerais to die in less than two months, following the death of Hélio Garcia on 6 June 2016.^[1][3][4]