Death of Zuenir Ventura: Journalist and writer leaves a legacy at 95

Zuenir Ventura passed away on the morning of September 22, 2026, at the age of 95, as a victim of pneumonia. The announcement of his death prompted a series of tributes from colleagues, academics, and the Brazilian Academy of Letters, where the writer was a member.

Passing and farewell rituals

Ventura died at his residence in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian Academy of Letters confirmed the cause and reported that the wake will be held at the institution's headquarters on Wednesday, September 23, with burial in the mausoleum of the immortals.

Trajectory in journalism and magazines

He began his career as an archivist at Tribuna da Imprensa and, over the decades, worked for media outlets such as Correio da Manhã, Jornal do Brasil, and the magazines Cruzeiro, Fatos e Fotos, Visão, Veja, and IstoÉ. He received Esso and Vladimir Herzog awards in 1989 for the series "O Acre de Chico Mendes" and took second place in the 1995 Jabuti Prize with "Cidade Partida".

Works that marked Brazilian literature

Among his books, "1968 – O Ano que Não Terminou" stands out as a best-seller detailing the youth of the 1960s and the fight against the military dictatorship. "Cidade Partida" analyzed violence and inequality in Rio de Janeiro following the 1993 massacre in Vigário Geral, and was re-released in a special 30th-anniversary edition. Other titles include "Minhas Histórias dos Outros", "Sagrada Família" (2012), and the expanded "Minhas Histórias dos Outros".

Recognition in the Brazilian Academy of Letters

In 2015, Ventura was elected to a chair in the Brazilian Academy of Letters, filling the vacancy left by Ariano Suassuna. He took part in ABL meetings, describing them as moments of humor and companionship, despite the external image of formality.

Statements from colleagues and academics

Marcos Lucchesi, Ruy Castro, Arno Wheling, Rosiska Darcy, Ana Maria Machado, and Lilia Schwarcz, among others, mourned the loss, emphasizing Ventura's importance as a reporter, writer, and central figure in understanding Brazil's contemporary history.

With information from Folha de S.Paulo, VEJA.