But his success in 1996 in getting Celso Pitta, his nominee, elected mayor in his stead boomeranged: having bequeathed him an empty treasury, Mr Maluf has felt compelled to apologise for Mr Pitta's poor record.
ECONOMIST: Brazil
2.
Mr Pitta's main project, to cut congestion with a sort of souped-up trolleybus, has yet to get going.
ECONOMIST: Brazil
3.
The mayor of Sao Paulo, Celso Pitta, this year fought off efforts to impeach him over fraud allegations.