Wallace Souza
Encyclopedia
Wallace Souza was a Brazil
ian television
presenter
and politician
. He was an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas until his expulsion in October 2009. He is commonly known for presenting the controversial program Canal Livre
.
In 2009, he was subject to worldwide media coverage, when Amazonas State Police launched an investigation into the claims that murders had been ordered in order to boost ratings on his program.
, Amazonas. He obtained degrees at the College of Business São Luiz Gonzaga and the State College Basílio Machado. Souza also attended the Center for Study of Human Behavior and University Nilton Lins. He is married with four children.
In 1979, Souza became a police officer
, but was fired after he was arrested for pension fraud and petrol theft in 1987.
. He later took leadership of the Social Christian Party
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas
in 2000, and was re-elected in 2002. In 2003 he was made Parliamentary his political career was threatened, as he had already been expelled from the assembly in 2009.
in 1989. The program which was described as "investigative journalism aimed at fighting crime and social injustice," ran until late 2008. The program, which drew a large audience, showed police raids and arrests, with presenters often following police chases in a helicopter. It was one of the most popular shows in Manaus.
to kill five people to increase the ratings of his program. Suspicions were raised because he was frequently first to the scene of a crime, gathering graphic footage of the victims. A former police officer, Moacir Jorge da Costa, claimed he carried out one of the murders. Souza and his legal team denied Souza's involvement with the murders. Souza's son, Raphael, was arrested and is currently in prison facing charges of homicide
, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.
Weapons, ammunition and cash were discovered at Souza's home when the police conducted a search.
In October 2009, he was presented with charges of murder, drug-trafficking
, intimidation of witnesses
, illegal carrying of arms and formation of a criminal gang
. He was also expelled from the state assembly. After an arrest warrant was issued, Souza disappeared and 60 civil and federal police began to search for him. Road blocks were mounted to try to stop him from leaving Manaus. He subsequently gave himself up to police on October 9, 2009. He repeatedly proclaimed his innocence. His brother, vice-mayor Carlos Souza, requested that when sent to prison he have his own cell and be separated from fellow inmates. Vanessa Lima, the former producer of the program, was arrested in December 2009.
, where he had been in since March 2010.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was an elected member of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas until his expulsion in October 2009. He is commonly known for presenting the controversial program Canal Livre
Canal Livre
Canal Livre was a popular crime television programme in Brazil. It was presented by the former police officer and former politician Wallace Souza and was the most popular show in the city of Manaus...
.
In 2009, he was subject to worldwide media coverage, when Amazonas State Police launched an investigation into the claims that murders had been ordered in order to boost ratings on his program.
Early and personal life
Souza was born in ManausManaus
Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....
, Amazonas. He obtained degrees at the College of Business São Luiz Gonzaga and the State College Basílio Machado. Souza also attended the Center for Study of Human Behavior and University Nilton Lins. He is married with four children.
In 1979, Souza became a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, but was fired after he was arrested for pension fraud and petrol theft in 1987.
Political career
He was first elected in 1998 by the Liberal PartyLiberal Party (Brazil)
The Liberal Party was a conservative political party of Brazil, merged in the Republic Party. The Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus had been taking part in Brazilian elections through PL, but the church has now partially left it to create a new centrist party named Partido Republicano Brasileiro...
. He later took leadership of the Social Christian Party
Social Christian Party (Brazil)
The Social Christian Party is a Christian-democratic political party in Brazil.At the legislative elections, 6 October 2002, the party won 1 out of 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and no seats in the Senate. At the legislative elections of October 1, 2006, the party won 9 seats in the...
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas
Legislative Assembly of Amazonas
The Legislative Assembly of Amazonas is the state legislature of Amazonas.-Deputies:*PMDB*Belarmino Lins*Marco Antônio Chico Preto*Marcos Rotta*Nelson Azedo*Vicente Lopes*PTB*Vera Lúcia Castelo Branco*Walzenir Falcão*David Almeida...
in 2000, and was re-elected in 2002. In 2003 he was made Parliamentary his political career was threatened, as he had already been expelled from the assembly in 2009.
Broadcasting career
He began presenting Canal LivreCanal Livre
Canal Livre was a popular crime television programme in Brazil. It was presented by the former police officer and former politician Wallace Souza and was the most popular show in the city of Manaus...
in 1989. The program which was described as "investigative journalism aimed at fighting crime and social injustice," ran until late 2008. The program, which drew a large audience, showed police raids and arrests, with presenters often following police chases in a helicopter. It was one of the most popular shows in Manaus.
Criminal accusations
In 2009, Souza attracted international media attention when he was accused of hiring hitmenHitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
to kill five people to increase the ratings of his program. Suspicions were raised because he was frequently first to the scene of a crime, gathering graphic footage of the victims. A former police officer, Moacir Jorge da Costa, claimed he carried out one of the murders. Souza and his legal team denied Souza's involvement with the murders. Souza's son, Raphael, was arrested and is currently in prison facing charges of homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.
Weapons, ammunition and cash were discovered at Souza's home when the police conducted a search.
In October 2009, he was presented with charges of murder, drug-trafficking
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
, intimidation of witnesses
Witness intimidation
Witness intimidation involves witnesses crucial to court proceedings being threatened in order to pressure or extort them not to testify. The refusal of key witnesses to testify commonly renders a case with inadequate physical evidence void in a court of law...
, illegal carrying of arms and formation of a criminal gang
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
. He was also expelled from the state assembly. After an arrest warrant was issued, Souza disappeared and 60 civil and federal police began to search for him. Road blocks were mounted to try to stop him from leaving Manaus. He subsequently gave himself up to police on October 9, 2009. He repeatedly proclaimed his innocence. His brother, vice-mayor Carlos Souza, requested that when sent to prison he have his own cell and be separated from fellow inmates. Vanessa Lima, the former producer of the program, was arrested in December 2009.
Death
Souza, who suffered from Budd–Chiari syndrome, died on 27 July 2010 of a heart attack. He died in a hospital in Sao PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, where he had been in since March 2010.