He studied civil engineering at the Federal University of Alagoas (Ufal), and there he led the student directories that opposed the military regime established in March 1964.
From 1973 onwards, Lessa worked on projects such as the renovation of the Duque refinery in Caxias, the maritime terminal in Ilha Grande Bay, the Rio de Janeiro Metro, and the Rio-Niterói Bridge.
In 1998, already affiliated with the PSB, he became governor of Alagoas, elected in the first round and re-elected in 2002 after beating former President of the Republic Fernando Collor de Mello.
[8] According to the rapporteur of the action at the Federal Supreme Court, Minister Gilmar Mendes, the defense's claim that the then candidate's statements to the press did not lead to the identification of Teotônio Vilela as being offended is not sustainable.
For the minister, Ronaldo Lessa points out, in his statements, as the main or biggest suspect in the theft, "the candidate who is our opponent," in the published version, and "the government," in the recording.
[8] Operation Razor The deputy was sentenced for embezzlement and crimes against public administration to 13 years and 4 months in prison and payment of a fine.
According to the decision, the State Public Prosecutor's Office reported that the fund, made up of revenue resulting from the ICMS levied on products classified as superfluous, despite having been established in 2004, only in 2005, by means of a decree, began to be collected with the additional Cool.
"The accusations of committing administrative improbity brought to court refer to the irregularity in the management of the fund, as they state that only its form of collection was established, but violating the rules that determine the expenditure and its linking to specific purposes," the judges justified.
[11] Focoep was established on December 30, 2004, and receives 2% of the ICMS rate charged on products considered 'superfluous', such as alcoholic beverages, fireworks, weapons and ammunition, sports boats, jewellery, gasoline, ethanol and hydrated for fuel purposes, and electrical energy—in supply that exceeds the consumption range of 150 KWh per month—for home and commercial consumption—cigarettes, cigars, and perfumes.
Embezzlement of resources from the General Hospital and controversy with the prosecutor Ronaldo Lessa and the former state secretary of health, Kátia Born, were accused by the Federal Public Ministry of misappropriation of public resources in the amount of R$5 million during the renovation of the Dr. Armando Lages Emergency Unit, currently the State General Hospital (HGE), in Maceió.
On February 20, in an interview published by the G1 portal, Lessa informed us that she was filing a representation against prosecutor Anselmo Henrique, considering that the accusations were arbitrary.
""[13] Following this accusation, on March 8, 2013, the MPF filed a complaint against the former governor for the crimes of slander, insult, and threat, for having described the public prosecutor Anselmo Henrique Cordeiro Lopes as a thief, irresponsible, and frivolous in press interviews in February 19th and 20th.
Lessa would also have attacked the institution when she stated, when referring to the proposed action, that this was "another frivolous attitude from agents of the Public Ministry.