In 1970, former congressman Rubens Paiva returned to Rio de Janeiro after spending six years in self-imposed exile, prompted by the loss of his political mandate during the 1964 Brazilian coup d'état. Settling into an idyllic home near Leblon Beach with his wife Eunice and their five children, Paiva resumed his civilian career. While assisting expatriates, he chose not to involve his family in conversations about his political engagements.