Jair Bolsonaro

Jair Messias Bolsonaro (born 21 March 1955 in Glicério, São Paulo) is a Brazilian politician and former army captain who rose from modest rural origins to become the 38th president of Brazil, serving from 1 January 2019 until 1 January 2023. After graduating from the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras in 1977, he spent fifteen years in the Brazilian Army, reaching the rank of captain and serving in several artillery units, before entering public life as a Rio de Janeiro city councilor in 1989. His thirty‑four‑year tenure in the Chamber of Deputies (1991‑2018) made him a polarising figure noted for outspoken nationalism, a hard‑line stance on crime, and a vocal opposition to left‑wing policies, which earned him a reputation as a far‑right populist. In the 2018 presidential campaign he championed liberal economic reforms, promised to loosen gun‑control laws, and aligned Brazil closely with the United States and Israel, while also courting evangelical voters with Christian rhetoric. Once in office, Bolsonaro pursued aggressive deregulation, curtailed Indigenous land protections, and faced intense international criticism for policies that accelerated Amazon deforestation and for his handling of the COVID‑19 pandemic, which many observers described as negligent. His administration was marked by frequent clashes with the judiciary, the dismissal of two health ministers, and allegations of corruption that led to multiple criminal investigations. After losing the 2022 runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed the Capitol on 8 January 2023, an episode that resulted in his temporary disqualification from public office. Since leaving the presidency, he has lived between Brazil and the United States, continues to lead a loyal base, and faces ongoing legal battles that could keep him out of politics until 2030.