Former Uberlândia Mayor Odelmo Leão Dies at 80

Former Uberlândia mayor and ex‑federal deputy Odelmo Leão Carneiro Sobrinho died at age 80 on the night of 27 March after feeling ill at home and being taken to a local hospital. He served four terms as mayor, five consecutive terms in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, and held the state agriculture secretary post in Minas Gerais, becoming a prominent figure in the Triângulo Mineiro region. Leão was married to federal deputy Ana Paula Junqueira Leão and left behind four children and grandchildren. Uberlândia officials declared a seven‑day mourning period; his body lay in state at the Arena Sabiazinho before burial at Cemitério São Pedro. Numerous politicians, including Chamber president Hugo Motta and former congressman Eduardo Cunha, expressed condolences. Shortly before his death, Leão announced a pre‑candidacy for the state deputy election later this year.