Rubens Florentino Vaz

Rubens Florentino Vaz (March 17, 1922 – August 5, 1954) was a military officer in the Brazilian Air Force. He was shot and killed by then president Getúlio Vargas's bodyguard Gregório Fortunato in an attempt to assassinate Carlos Lacerda, one of the most prominent opposition voices to the Vargas presidency.

Life He was born on 17 March 1922 to parents Joaquim Florentino Vaz Júnior and Zilda de Oliveira Vaz. In 1940 he went to Campo dos Afonsos in Rio de Janeiro and completed his course in 1943. In 1954 he served in the Directorate of Air Routes, in Rio de Janeiro, when the opposition to the 2nd government of Getúlio Vargas intensified. The subsequent investigation indicated as the mastermind of the crime the head of the personal security of the then President of the Republic, Getúlio Vargas, Gregório Fortunato, nicknamed "The Black Angel". On the day of the crime, August 5, the protection of Carlos Lacerda was supposed to be done by Major Gustavo Borges, but due to the need to make a flight to complete the hours determined for the aviators, Major Vaz replaced him that night, doing his colleague a favor.

Rubens Vaz was promoted post mortem twice: in 1954 and 1965. He was married to Lígia Figueiredo Vaz, with whom he had four children.