Jair Messias Bolsonaro

Jair Messias Bolsonaro is a Brazilian politician and former president, now politically disqualified and facing STF investigations; he belongs to the PL.

Political career

Jair Bolsonaro was born in 1955 in Glicério, in the state of São Paulo. He trained at the Agulhas Negras Military Academy and pursued a military career in the Brazilian Army, reaching the rank of captain. His early public profile was shaped by his background in the armed forces and by a 1986 article in Veja magazine in which he criticised military pay, bringing him into the public eye.

He entered elected politics in the late 1980s, first as a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro in 1988. In 1990 he was elected Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro, a post he held from 1991 to 2018 across multiple terms. During almost three decades in the Chamber of Deputies, he built a reputation as a combative backbench parliamentarian, often associated with issues of law and order, military interests, conservative values and criticism of the political establishment.

Bolsonaro’s national breakthrough came during the crisis years following the Operation Car Wash scandal and the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. He ran for president in 2018 on an anti-establishment platform, joining the Liberal Party (PL), and won the presidency in the second round. He served as President of Brazil from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022. His administration was marked by ideological polarisation, conflicts with Congress and the judiciary, and a prominent role for security and military figures in government.

After leaving office, Bolsonaro remained a central figure in Brazilian opposition politics and in the broader right-wing field. He is currently politically disqualified and under investigation by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in multiple cases, which has constrained his formal electoral prospects and intensified debate within the conservative camp about succession.

Relationship with the public

Bolsonaro’s relationship with the public has been unusually direct and polarising. He cultivated a strong following among voters who valued his anti-corruption rhetoric, his defence of policing and firearms, and his rejection of what he described as left-wing cultural dominance. He was particularly effective with sectors that felt alienated from traditional parties, including parts of the evangelical electorate, business supporters, conservatives and groups hostile to the political class.

At the same time, he generated sustained opposition from civil society organisations, environmental groups, human rights advocates, academic circles and much of the mainstream press. His public style — confrontational, informal and often provocative — helped him maintain visibility, but also widened resistance to him in urban centres, among younger voters and among institutions concerned with democratic norms.

His media relationship has been adversarial. Throughout his career, he frequently accused journalists of bias and treated critical coverage as part of a broader political struggle. This combative style helped reinforce his image among supporters as an outsider willing to challenge elites, but it also contributed to an atmosphere of permanent confrontation.

Positions and political profile

Bolsonaro is generally identified with social conservatism, law-and-order politics, economic liberalism in parts of his coalition, and a strongly nationalist and anti-left discourse. He has consistently championed tougher policing, expanded firearm access for civilians, scepticism towards progressive social agendas, and a more muscular state response to crime.

In foreign policy, his government aligned more closely with right-wing governments and with the United States under Donald Trump, while distancing itself from the traditional multilateral and regional diplomatic style associated with earlier Brazilian administrations. In environmental policy, he was widely associated with reduced emphasis on enforcement in the Amazon, which brought domestic criticism and international concern.

Within his own party history, Bolsonaro has often been a difficult or disruptive figure rather than a conventional party loyalist. Even after joining the PL, his political identity remained more personal than partisan: a movement leader more than a disciplined party organiser. This has made him powerful in election campaigns, but less effective at maintaining stable legislative coalitions.

Key moments defining his political profile include:

• his rise as an anti-establishment candidate in 2018;
• his presidency during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his handling of the crisis became a central source of controversy and polarisation;
• his repeated clashes with the judiciary, especially the STF;
• and his role in sustaining a far-right electoral bloc after leaving office.

His public image is sharply divided. Supporters tend to see him as a defender of order, national values and political renewal. Critics view him as an authoritarian-leaning politician whose style normalised institutional confrontation and polarisation. Both perceptions are deeply rooted in the same feature of his career: his willingness to speak and act as a permanent insurgent against Brazil’s political centre.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jair Bolsonaro? Jair Bolsonaro is a Brazilian politician, former army captain and former president of Brazil who served from 2019 to 2022.

What party does Jair Bolsonaro belong to? He belongs to the Liberal Party (PL), although his political identity is more closely associated with his personal movement than with a traditional party structure.

What offices has he held? He was a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro and later a Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro from 1991 to 2018, before becoming President of Brazil from 2019 to 2022.

Why is Jair Bolsonaro controversial? He is controversial because of his confrontational political style, his hardline positions on crime and firearms, his clashes with the judiciary and the media, and the polarising tone of his presidency.

What is his relationship with the military? Bolsonaro trained at a military academy and served as an army captain, which has remained central to his public image and to his political appeal among voters sympathetic to the armed forces.

What is his current political status? He is currently politically disqualified and under investigation by the STF in multiple cases, which has significantly limited his ability to compete electorally.