João Suassuna: um magistrado que governou a Paraíba

Abstract

The book João Suassuna: Um Magistrado que Governu a Paraíba, written by Justice Marcos Cavalcanti de Albuquerque in collaboration with writer and journalist José Nunes, offers an in-depth look at the life and career of João Urbano Pessoa de Vasconcelos Suassuna. Born in Catolé do Rocha, Paraíba, on January 16, 1886, João Suassuna played significant roles in Paraíba politics and justice. A graduate of the Recife Law School, he worked as a lawyer in Rio Grande do Norte and as a judge in Paraíba. His career culminated in his position as the 14th Governor of the state, a period that spanned from 1924 to 1928. While Suassuna defended the agricultural culture of the Sertão, his contemporary João Pessoa was an advocate of modernization. This opposition of ideas and political interests marked the era. João Pessoa, representing the urban middle class, and Suassuna, linked to the sertanejos, personified the last feudal lords of the sertão. The assassination of João Pessoa in 1930, followed by the mysterious murder of João Suassuna in the same year, left a complex legacy. Ariano Suassuna, João’s son, was inspired by his father’s life to write “O Romance d’A Pedra do Reino e o Príncipe do Sangue do Vai-e-Volta” (The Romance of the Kingdom Stone and the Prince of the Blood of the Vai-e-Volta) and perpetuate the memory of this remarkable figure in the history of Paraíba. In addition, the Campina Grande Airport was renamed in his honor, becoming the Presidente João Suassuna Airport. João Suassuna remains a hero and warrior, whose sertanejo traditions were not tarnished, even amid the political turmoil of the 1930 Revolution. His life and legacy continue to intrigue and inspire generations.