Born on March 21, 1955, he is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who serves as the 38th president of Brazil. Elected in 2018 as a member of the conservative Social Liberal Party before cutting ties with it, he has been in office since January 1, 2019. He previously served in the country’s Chamber of Deputies, representing the state of Rio de Janeiro from 1991 to 2018.
Bolsonaro was born in the town of Glicério, in the state of São Paulo. He graduated from the Agulhas Negras Military Academy in 1977 and served in the Brazilian Army’s parachute and field artillery units. He came to public attention in 1986 when he wrote an article for Veja magazine criticizing the low salaries of military officers, after which he was arrested and detained for fifteen days. A year later, the same magazine accused him of planning to plant bombs in military units, an allegation he denied. After a first-degree conviction, he was acquitted by Brazil’s Supreme Military Court in 1988.
He entered the military reserve in 1988 with the rank of captain and ran for the Rio de Janeiro City Council that same year, being elected as a member of the Christian Democratic Party. Bolsonaro was elected to the lower house of Congress in 1990 and was subsequently reelected six times. During his 27-year tenure as a congressman, he became known for his strong support of national conservatism. He is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and homosexuality, abortion, affirmative action, drug liberalization, and secularism. In foreign policy, he has advocated for closer ties with the United States and Israel. During his 2018 presidential campaign, he began supporting liberal, pro-market economic policies. A polarizing and controversial politician, his views and statements—often described as far-right and populist in nature—have garnered both praise and criticism in Brazil.
Bolsonaro announced his intention to run for president in March 2016 as a member of the Christian Social Party. However, he left the party in 2018 and joined the Social Liberal Party, then officially launched his presidential campaign in August of that year with retired general Hamilton Mourão as his running mate. He described himself as a political outsider and supporter of family values. He came in first place in the first round of the general elections held on October 7, 2018, ahead of the Workers’ Party candidate.