Former governor Colombo Salles will be veiled at Alesc; check schedule

The wake of former governor Colombo Salles, who died at the age of 97 this Tuesday (14), will be at the headquarters of the Legislative Assembly of Santa Catarina (Alesc), in Florianópolis. The ceremony begins at 10am this Thursday (15).

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According to information from the State Government, the wake will take place until 2pm. Afterwards, a farewell ceremony will be held from 2pm to 3pm also at Alesc, ending with a procession to the Jardim da Paz Cemetery, in the Saco Grande neighborhood, where the burial will take place.

Due to the death of the former governor, the State declared an official mourning period of seven days. In addition, the state flag will be at half-mast, as will other insignia, banners and symbols. Only the national flag continues to fly normally.

Personalities mourn the death of Colombo Salles: “legacy that will last in history”

Born in Laguna, Colombo Machado Salles governed Santa Catarina between 1971 and 1975. At the time, he was affiliated with the National Renewal Alliance (Arena) and was appointed to the position by the president, Emílio Médici. A civil engineer by training, Salles used to say that he was elevated to the Executive position because of his technical profile. His mission was to bring about political renewal in the State, until then commanded by oligarchies.

— I was an accident in the political life of Santa Catarina — declared the former governor, in an interview with CBN radio, in 2016. — I was giving an inaugural class at the Federal University of Goiânia, when they interrupted my class to announce that I had been nominated governor. I prepared myself to hear a boo.

The management was marked by the Santa Catarina Development Project (PCD), which had as its main objective the regional integration of Santa Catarina. There were more than 500 kilometers of roads, which resulted in the modernization of the communications network and the implementation of 85 thousand telephone lines. The politician also created the Companhia Catarinense de Águas e Saneamento (Casan).

Salles’ main work was the second bridge connecting the Island of Santa Catarina and the Mainland, which was named after him. He was also responsible for the South Bay landfill and the construction of the SC-401 and SC-404 highways.

Away from power, the engineer taught Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), from which he retired in 1992.

— The secret of life is simplicity. I’m fooling the people up there — reflected the politician, in 2016, in an interview with Diário Catarinense.

The politician died in his apartment and leaves his wife, Daisy Werner Salles, and three children, Maria José, Bertholdo and Marcelo. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Images show the trajectory of Colombo Salles

Find out more about the politician’s legacy in SC

Creator of Casan and SC-401, see who Colombo Salles was and his importance for SC

Colombo Salles was the governor of regional integration and innovation in SC

Why Colombo Salles named the Florianópolis bridge