Eduardo Paes

Eduardo da Costa Paes is a Brazilian politician who has served as Mayor of Rio de Janeiro across three separate terms, from 2009 to 2017 and again from 2021 to 2026, making him one of the most enduring figures in modern Brazilian municipal governance. Known for steering the city through the 2016 Summer Olympics, Paes has also become a global voice on urban climate action, earning a spot on TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders list in 2025.

His political journey has been marked by both major achievements and significant controversy. After a failed gubernatorial bid in 2018 and a corruption probe tied to Olympic contracts, Paes staged a remarkable comeback in 2020, reclaiming the mayoralty. His third term focused heavily on sustainability, including a Guinness World Record for Rio's New Year's Eve celebration and a leading role in the COP30 Local Leaders Forum.

In March 2026, Paes resigned from the mayoralty to run for Governor of Rio de Janeiro State, with evangelical lawyer Jane Reis as his running mate. His campaign builds on his record as mayor while navigating criticism over his environmental and privatization policies. [edit]

Eduardo da Costa Paes was born on November 14, 1969, in Rio de Janeiro, where he grew up. Details about his childhood are scarce, but he pursued higher education at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), one of Brazil's most prestigious private universities, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Law. His legal training laid the groundwork for a career in public service that formally began in 1993.

In the early 1990s, Paes entered the political arena, holding various appointed positions that built his political capital. He served as state secretary for sports and tourism in the Cabral government, a role that raised his profile within Rio state politics. During this period, he navigated multiple party affiliations, eventually aligning with the centrist PMDB. In 2005, he emerged as a vocal critic of the Lula administration during the Mensalão scandal, when allegations of vote-buying in Congress surfaced, a stance that distinguished him within his party and set the stage for his mayoral run.

By October 2008, Paes had consolidated enough support to be elected Mayor of Rio de Janeiro for the first time, defeating his opponents in a city eager for change. [edit]

Eduardo Paes took office as Mayor of Rio de Janeiro in 2009, and his first term was immediately defined by preparations for the city's role as host of the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2012, he accepted the Olympic flag at the London closing ceremony from Boris Johnson and Jacques Rogge, a symbolic moment that thrust him onto the international stage. Re-elected in 2013 for a second term, Paes oversaw massive infrastructure projects and urban renewal initiatives, though these came with criticism over displacement of low-income communities and public spending concerns.

The 2016 Olympics brought both triumph and trouble. While the Games were widely praised, a corruption probe into Olympic-related contracts became public in 2017, tarnishing his reputation. After losing the 2018 gubernatorial election, Paes staged a comeback in 2020, defeating incumbent Marcelo Crivella in a runoff to win a third term. In 2021, he switched from the Democrats to the Social Democratic Party (PSD), prompting a wave of political allies to follow.

His third term focused heavily on climate leadership. In July 2021, he published a 'Letter to Nature' through the C40 Cities network, committing to green corridors and nature-based infrastructure. In October 2025, TIME named him one of the 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders, crediting him with founding the C40 Cities Finance Facility, which unlocked $1 billion in climate financing. He also co-chaired the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in November 2025, and under his watch, Rio's New Year's Eve celebration was recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest in the world in December 2025. In February 2026, he selected Jane Reis as his gubernatorial running mate, and in March 2026, he resigned from the mayoralty to run for Governor of Rio de Janeiro State. [edit]

Eduardo Paes projects the image of a seasoned, pragmatic Brazilian politician who has weathered significant political storms. He positions Rio as a world-class city through international events, climate leadership, and cultural initiatives, earning recognition from global outlets like TIME and Variety. However, his public image is bifurcated: while international media praise his climate and urban achievements, investigative outlets have criticized his environmental policies and privatization agenda. On social media, Paes maintains a professional and political presence, with his Instagram bio emphasizing his roles as husband, father, and gubernatorial candidate. He does not have an officially named fandom, but he retains a substantial base of supporters and critics within Brazilian political discourse. [edit]

Eduardo Paes doesn't have a fandom with a name. There's no "Paes Army" or coordinated fan campaigns, no birthday billboards, no charity drives organized in his honor. What he has is a political constituency, a following that shows up at the ballot box rather than in stadiums. His Instagram, where he identifies as a gubernatorial candidate, husband, and father, and signs off with a Bible verse, serves as a megaphone for policy, not a fan club. His supporters are voters and party allies, and their engagement looks like press conferences and policy rollouts, not fan art.

That doesn't mean the world isn't watching. iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated Paes, and as of August 2026, he does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings, neither the Global Top 1,000 nor a Top-100 scope list. It's a neutral fact, not a snub; his fame is real but diffuse, more civic than cultural.

What elevates him is the global stage. He's been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders, co-chaired the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, and delivered a TED talk on his "four commandments" for cities. These moments generate international headlines and civic pride, but they don't create a fan culture. There's no shared language, no inside jokes, no rituals. The stories people tell about him, the Olympics, the arrest, the green-space sell-offs, are political narratives, not folklore. His audience is the public, and they engage with him as a leader, not a legend.[edit]

Eduardo Paes is a law graduate from PUC-Rio, one of Brazil's most prestigious private universities. He has navigated multiple party affiliations throughout his career, including the Democrats, PMDB, and PSD, reflecting Brazil's fluid political landscape. In 2012, he accepted the Olympic flag at the London closing ceremony, a moment that marked Rio as the next host city. His third term saw Rio's New Year's Eve celebration become the largest in the world per Guinness World Records. Paes has also been a vocal critic of the Lula administration, particularly during the Mensalão scandal of 2005, when allegations of vote-buying in Congress surfaced.

Among the stories that follow him, one stands out: his 2017 arrest. Rio de Janeiro state police took the outgoing mayor into custody in connection with an alleged kickbacks scheme tied to Olympic contracts, a verified event that still shapes his public narrative. Just a year earlier, he told The Guardian that "the Olympics are a missed opportunity for Brazil," a surprisingly blunt admission from a host-city mayor that became a widely quoted moment. And in a TED talk, he shared his "four commandments" for making cities great places to live, part of his reputation as a global urbanist. More recently, in 2026, his administration faced fresh controversy over selling off iconic green spaces, a story that will likely join the lore.[edit]

Eduardo Paes is married to Cristine Assed Paes, as confirmed by his official Instagram bio, which reads 'Marido da Cristine, pai do Bernardo e da Isabela' (Husband of Cristine, father of Bernardo and Isabela). The couple has two children: a son named Bernardo and a daughter named Isabela. Paes often shares moments with his family on social media, projecting a family-oriented public persona. The marriage appears stable and ongoing as of 2026, with no public information suggesting any separation or divorce. [edit]

Eduardo Paes is closely associated with his wife, Cristine Assed Paes, and their two children, Bernardo and Isabela. Politically, he has been linked with Marcelo Crivella, whom he defeated in the 2020 mayoral election, and Jane Reis, his 2026 gubernatorial running mate. His career has also intersected with figures like Boris Johnson and Jacques Rogge during the 2012 Olympic flag handover, and with the Cabral government where he served as secretary for sports and tourism. [edit]

Eduardo Paes is married to Cristine Assed Paes, and their marriage appears to be his only publicly documented relationship. The couple has two children, Bernardo and Isabela, and they maintain a stable, long-term marriage. There is no public information suggesting any other romantic relationships or separations. As of 2026, Paes remains married to Cristine, and the couple continues to appear together in his social media posts. [edit]

Eduardo Paes's income comes primarily from his government salary as Mayor of Rio de Janeiro and, more recently, as a gubernatorial candidate. Unlike entertainment or business figures, his personal wealth is not tracked by celebrity net worth databases. However, iFANN's editorial analysis currently estimates his net worth at $5 million in 2026, based on his long tenure in public office, potential speaking fees, and personal investments. It's worth noting that Paes has faced corruption allegations, and the full extent of his personal financial holdings is not transparently documented in available sources.[edit]

Eduardo Paes has been recognized for his climate leadership and urban achievements. In 2025, he was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders, specifically for founding the C40 Cities Finance Facility, which unlocked $1 billion in climate financing. Under his administration, Rio's New Year's Eve celebration was also recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest in the world in December 2025. [edit]