Ronaldo Cunha Lima

Cunha Lima was born on March 18, 1936, in Guarabira, Brazil.[1] He moved with his family to the city of Campina Grande, in Brazil's northeast, when he was young.[1] He received a legal from the Federal University of Paraíba, serving as Vice President of a political, student organization called Centro Estudantil Campinense while attending the university.[1]

A notorious incident occurred while Cunha Lima was Governor, following an incident where former Governor Tarcísio Burity accused Cunha Lima's son Cássio Cunha Lima of corruption with respect to siphoning off money to be used for drought relief. On November 5, 1993, Governor Cunha Lima entered the Gulliver Restaurant in João Pessoa and shot his predecessor, former Governor Burity, twice while Burity was eating.[2] Burity spent days in a coma, but eventually recovered. After hours of being jailed, Cunha Lima was greeted on his balcony by a large crowd of fans that supported him defending his family's honor. A few days after the shooting, the city council of Campina Grande presented Cunha Lima with a medal of merit.[3]

Ronaldo Cunha Lima died of complications from lung cancer at his family's home in João Pessoa, Brazil, on July 7, 2012, at the age of 76.[1] A public viewing was held at the Palácio da Redenção. He was buried in the Monte Santo cemetery.[1] Survivors included his son, Senator Cássio Cunha Lima.[1]