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| Bolsonaro | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jair Messias Bolsonaro |
| Birth date | 1955-03-21 |
| Birth place | Glicério, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Occupation | Politician, former Army officer |
| Known for | 38th President of Brazil |
Bolsonaro (born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and retired Army officer who served as the 38th President of Brazil from 2019 to 2022/2023. A polarizing figure, he rose from a long tenure as a federal deputy to national prominence through nationalist rhetoric, alliances with conservative movements, and an emphasis on security and economic liberalization. His presidency intersected with major events including the 2018 presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and heightened international attention on the Amazon rainforest.
Born in Glicério, São Paulo, he was the son of Percy Geraldo Bolsonaro and Olinda Bonturi Bolsonaro and grew up in Eldorado, São Paulo and São Paulo state locales. He attended the Agulhas Negras Military Academy and served in the Brazilian Army infantry and parachute units, including postings in Acre and the Amazonas. During military service he earned the rank of captain and was influenced by Cold War–era doctrines and figures associated with anti-communist operations, including exposure to veterans of the 1964 Brazilian coup d'état period and the subsequent military regime. His early public profile grew from military-related writings, veterans' organizations, and local political activities in Resende, Rio de Janeiro.
After retiring from active duty, he entered electoral politics, winning a seat as a municipal councillor in Rio de Janeiro before being elected to the Chamber of Deputies for multiple consecutive terms beginning in 1991. He became known for alliances with figures from the Progressive Party (Brazil), Liberal Front Party (PFL), Social Christian Party (PSC), and later the Social Liberal Party (PSL), navigating Brazil’s fragmented party system. He cultivated relationships with military veterans, evangelical leaders tied to the Assemblies of God, and conservative media personalities on platforms such as YouTube and radio networks. In the 2018 presidential contest he benefitted from the political vacuum following the imprisonment of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and public backlash against the Operation Car Wash investigations into corruption; his campaign emphasized law-and-order themes and received visibility through endorsements from businessmen linked to privatization networks and candidates supported by the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) dissidents. He won the runoff against candidate Fernando Haddad to become president-elect.
Taking office in January 2019, his administration appointed ministers with ties to market-oriented economists from the Chicago Boys tradition, conservative jurists connected to the Supreme Federal Court, and former military officers. His term coincided with diplomatic interactions involving leaders such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and members of the Group of Twenty (G20). Domestically, his presidency faced institutional checks from the National Congress, scrutiny from the Federal Police (Brazil), and legal challenges adjudicated by the Supreme Federal Court. His administration navigated crises including major wildfires in the Amazon rainforest, conflicts with indigenous groups represented by organizations like the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), and the public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic managed alongside state governors and municipal leaders such as those from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Policy priorities included deregulatory initiatives, proposals for pension reform debated in the National Congress, and attempts to privatize state-owned enterprises like Petrobras and Eletrobras. Economic policy drew on advisors linked to the Ministry of Economy under ministers from centrist business circles and neoliberal economists who advocated fiscal austerity and tax reform. Security policies emphasized expansion of policing powers and support for firearm legislation reforms debated alongside public security agencies such as the Federal Police (Brazil). Environmental policy shifts involved changes to the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), land-use regulations affecting agribusiness interests represented by the Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), and alterations to protected areas impacting collaborations with international organizations including the United Nations Environment Programme. Foreign policy included repositioning toward conservative governments, engagement with regional blocs like Mercosur, and tensions with the European Union over trade and environmental standards.
His tenure was marked by controversies involving statements on human rights criticized by groups such as Human Rights Watch and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, disputes with the Supreme Federal Court, and investigations by the Federal Police (Brazil). Allegations included scrutiny over campaign financing connections to digital marketing firms involved in the 2018 election, probes into pandemic-related procurement contracts involving intermediaries linked to private health companies, and inquiries into deforestation trends in the Amazon rainforest traced to agribusiness expansion and logging networks in states like Pará and Mato Grosso. Legal challenges encompassed cases in the Supreme Federal Court and petitions to international tribunals addressing alleged violations of indigenous land rights advocated by organizations such as the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI). Demonstrations and counter-demonstrations occurred nationwide, with major mobilizations in cities including Brasília, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro.
After leaving office following the 2022/2023 transition, he remained an influential figure within right-wing coalitions, interacting with parties like the Progressistas and movements connected to evangelical networks and veterans’ associations. His legacy is debated among scholars at institutions such as the Getulio Vargas Foundation and commentators from media outlets like Folha de S.Paulo and O Estado de S. Paulo, who analyze impacts on institutional norms, environmental policy in the Amazon rainforest, and shifts in Brazil’s global alignments. Ongoing legal proceedings and political activity continue to shape his role in contemporary Brazilian politics and future electoral cycles involving leaders such as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other major party figures.