Wilson Witzel
Wilson José Witzel (born 19 February 1968) is a Brazilian politician, lawyer, and former federal judge who served as the 63rd Governor of Rio de Janeiro. A member of the Social Christian Party (PSC) since 2018, he was elected in October 2018 and took office on 1 January 2019. He replaced Luiz Fernando Pezão and was an ally of President Jair Bolsonaro.
Before entering politics, Witzel worked as a federal judge in Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, and he is a former marine in the Brazilian Navy. He holds a master’s degree in Civil Law and has taught Criminal Law for more than 20 years. He was born in Jundiaí, São Paulo, and is married to Helena Alves Brandão since 2004.
As governor, Witzel faced protests in 2019 after the killing of an eight-year-old girl in the Complexo do Alemão favela. He tested positive for COVID-19 on 14 April 2020. In June 2020, an impeachment process was opened over alleged irregular purchases of medical supplies during the pandemic. On 28 August 2020, the Superior Court of Justice suspended him from office, and he remained suspended until 30 April 2021. In April 2021 he was impeached; during his suspension his deputy Cláudio Castro served as acting governor and later succeeded him.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:49 (CET).