Paulo Maluf: the rise and decline of the icon of right-wing populism
Paulo Maluf: the rise and decline of the icon of right-wing populism
Paulo Maluf was born in 1931, the son of Lebanese immigrants. He studied engineering at USP and took over the family business before entering politics, marrying Sylvia Lutfalla in 1955
He began his public career during the military dictatorship, sponsored by General Costa e Silva. He was president of Caixa and appointed mayor of São Paulo in 1969, prioritizing major road works
As mayor, he created Minhocão and presented the 1970 team with Beetles, generating lawsuits. In 1979, he became governor of São Paulo after winning an internal dispute at the Arena
His state administration was marked by the creation of Paulipetro, which spent millions without finding oil. Maluf personified right-wing populism and the slogan “steal, but do”
In 1985, he sought the presidency through the Electoral College, but was defeated by Tancredo Neves after a split in his party. He was absent from historic votes, such as Diretas Já
He returned to city hall in 1993, building tunnels and increasing public debt. He elected Celso Pitta as his successor, whose administration was marked by scandals that separated him from his ally
Maluf uttered controversial phrases about rape and faced family disputes over control of Eucatex. His own mother excluded him from the inheritance in her will shortly before she died.
In 2001, secret accounts in Jersey were revealed linked to him, and he denied the allegations. In 2010, his name was included in Interpol’s red alert for financial crimes
The STF sentenced him to more than 7 years for money laundering in the work on Avenida Água Espraiada. He also received a sentence for electoral fraud in the 2010 campaign
He was imprisoned in Papuda in 2017 and was placed under home control in 2018 for health reasons. In 2023, minister Edson Fachin extinguished his custodial sentences via Christmas pardon
Abroad, he has convictions in France and arrest orders in the USA. Recently, Switzerland repatriated millions of dollars from its accounts to Brazilian public coffers
Out of office since 2018, Maluf faced cancer and Covid-19. He believes in divine absolution for his works, stating that one cannot walk in São Paulo without seeing something he built
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