Governing Latin American Cities in the 21st Century: Rio de Janeiro

Date: 

Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 12:00pm to 1:20pm


For a recording of this event, click here.

Cities often are seen as polluted, dangerous, and unequal. How can cities become more sustainable, safe, and inclusive? What are the political challenges to their transformation? The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, will speak about the city’s environmental and public security initiatives.

Speaker: Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro
Moderated by: Alisha Holland, Associate Professor of Government Department, Harvard University

Born in Rio de Janeiro on November 14, 1969, Mayor Eduardo Paes holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from PUC-Rio University. He has dedicated his career to public service, beginning in 1993 when, at the age of 23, he was appointed deputy mayor of Jacarepaguá and Barra districts. In 1996, he was elected Alderman of the City of Rio and, in 1998, Congressman. In 2000, he was appointed Rio ́s Municipal Environmental Secretary, refining his knowledge of environmental issues.

Following his second consecutive mandate as Congressman, in 2007, Paes was named Secretary of State for Tourism, Sport and Leisure and helped the organization of the Pan American Games, held in Rio. In October 2008, he was elected Mayor of Rio de Janeiro for a four-year term, beginning on January 1st 2009. On October 7th 2012, he was re- elected in the first round for a second term.

As mayor, Eduardo Paes was one of the leaders of Rio de Janeiro ́s campaign to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the first Games to be held in South America. In partnership with the State and Federal Governments, he was committed to ensuring that major international events leave a comprehensive sustainable and inclusive legacy for the citizens of Rio de Janeiro. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games accelerated transportation and infrastructure projects, bringing long-term benefits to residents and visitors.

After the end of his second term as Mayor, in 2017, Mr. Paes worked as a consultant in the Urban Planning Department of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), focusing on the management of metropolitan regions. He was also a consultant and vice president for Latin America at BYD Auto, a manufacturer of trucks and electric cars.

In 2020, Eduardo Paes decided to run for the municipal elections and, in November, he was elected Mayor of the City of Rio de Janeiro, taking office on January 1st, 2021, for his third term. He is now committed to the city’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in different spheres, as health, finance and tourism.

Eduardo Paes is married and has two children. He is fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish.

 

Presented in collaboration with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs