Jair Bolsonaro

Jair Bolsonaro, the controversial Brazilian politician and retired military officer, was born on March 21, 1955, in Glicério, São Paulo, Brazil. He comes from a family of Italian and German descent.

In 1993, Bolsonaro made admiring comments about the U.S.–supported Brazilian military dictatorship, stating that it led to a more sustainable and prosperous Brazil. He has repeatedly expressed admiration for the military regime and other Latin American dictatorships, drawing controversy and criticism.

Bolsonaro publicly endorsed physical violence as a legitimate and necessary form of political action, making statements about killing people and arresting leftists.

In 2011, Bolsonaro made racist comments on a TV show when asked about his reaction if one of his sons had a Black girlfriend. He responded in a way that was described as racist and later claimed to be misunderstood.

On July 22, 2018, Jair Bolsonaro announced his candidacy for the presidency of Brazil.

On 6 September 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed in the stomach while campaigning and interacting with supporters in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.

On 7 October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro came first in the first round of the presidential election and was declared the winner with over 50% of the popular vote in the run-off held on 28 October 2018.

On October 28, 2018, Jair Bolsonaro emerged victorious in the runoff election with 55.13% of the votes, defeating Haddad who secured 44.87%.

Jair Bolsonaro took office as the President of Brazil on 1 January 2019.

On January 28, 2019, officials announced that Jair Bolsonaro underwent a successful surgery to remove a colostomy bag, which was initially fitted after he was stabbed four months earlier.

On February 28, 2019, Bolsonaro met with Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaidó in Brasilia. During a joint news conference, Bolsonaro pledged Brazil’s support to help ensure “democracy is re-established in Venezuela.”

On May 7, 2019, President Bolsonaro signed an executive order that relaxed gun control restrictions, making it easier to import guns and increasing the annual ammunition purchase limit for individuals.

On August 23, 2019, Jair Bolsonaro announced a plan to deploy army troops to combat the devastating wildfires raging across the Amazon rainforest.

On April 19, 2020, Jair Bolsonaro participated in a rally in the country's capital where protesters demanded an end to coronavirus quarantine measures and some advocated for military intervention to shut down Congress and the Supreme Court. Bolsonaro later clarified that he was not endorsing military action against the government's other branches.

On June 23, 2020, a federal judge in Brasilia ordered Jair Bolsonaro to wear a face mask in public or face a fine. The ruling was extended to all government employees in the Federal District, including the capital Brasilia.

On July 7, 2020, Jair Bolsonaro announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, after dismissing the threat of the virus and actively participating in anti-lockdown rallies.

On 26 October 2021, a senate committee approved a report calling for Bolsonaro to face criminal charges, including crimes against humanity, for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On December 3, 2021, Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered an investigation into Jair Bolsonaro’s false claim that vaccinated individuals may have a higher risk of contracting AIDS. The inquiry was initiated in response to a request by the country’s parliamentary commission, which has been examining Bolsonaro’s government’s handling of the pandemic.

On January 3, 2022, Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital due to a blockage in his intestine.

On June 29, 2022, a Brazilian court ruled that Jair Bolsonaro must pay moral damages to a Brazilian journalist for making remarks with sexual innuendo about her in 2020.

Protesters clashed with police and vandalized the Supreme Federal Court building and the Palácio do Planalto (Presidential Palace) in Brasília. The rioters attempted to take over both buildings, resulting in vandalism, looting, and confrontations with security forces.

In the presidential election on October 2, 2022, Jair Bolsonaro finishes with 43.2% versus Lula da Silva’s 48.4%. As neither candidate surpassed 50% of the vote, a runoff between the two candidates is scheduled for October 30.

In a runoff presidential election on 30 October 2022, Bolsonaro was defeated by former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro did not acknowledge his defeat but stated that he would 'comply with the Constitution'.

Jair Bolsonaro arrives for a press conference two days after being defeated by Lula da Silva in the presidential runoff at Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil.

On November 22, 2022, Jair Bolsonaro filed a petition with Brazil election authorities contesting the results of the presidential vote, claiming that voting machines had malfunctioned and the votes cast through them should be annulled.

The petition filed by Jair Bolsonaro on November 22, 2022, contesting the election results was rejected by the Brazil election authorities the following day.

Jair Bolsonaro's presidency ended on December 31, 2022, with the inauguration of the cabinet of Lula da Silva III on January 1, 2023.

More than 100 buses arrived in Brasília from various parts of Brazil, bringing radical Bolsonaro supporters to join the protesters camped in front of Army Headquarters, raising the total number of people to over 4,000.

Defence Minister José Múcio visited the camp and claimed that the situation was 'calm, for now'. Federal District governor Ibaneis Rocha sent a message to Justice Minister Flávio Dino, stating that there was no immediate threat to the security of the federal buildings. However, by 12:00, the Institutional Security Bureau had requested reinforcements at the Presidential Palace, and the police forces of the Congress and Supreme Court were placed on alert against possible attack.

Three transmission towers in the states of Rondônia and Paraná were pulled down and cut off from Brazil's power grid. One tower connecting Brazil's mega hydropower plant Itaipu to the country's grid was damaged by a tractor, raising suspicions of sabotage by Bolsonaro supporters. An additional tower in the interior of São Paulo state was also damaged.

Multiple important spaces in three stormed buildings, including the Federal Supreme Court and the Congress building, were extensively vandalized and looted. Works of art, furniture, equipment, and historical objects were damaged, stolen, or destroyed. Rioters also destroyed fire hydrants and impeded the fight against fires that broke out during the invasion.

Brazil's Supreme Court accepts the public prosecutor's request to investigate Jair Bolsonaro's alleged involvement in the January 8 attacks on government buildings in Brasilia.

Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, who is under investigation for an alleged attempt to topple the country’s government, has applied for a six-month visitor visa to stay in the US.

Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president, is set to return to Brazil, which is expected to energize the far-right political spectrum. His return comes amidst several investigations, including an embezzlement probe over jewelry.

Bolsonaro's aide, Mauro Cid, is accused of gathering documents to support a coup against Brazil’s President Lula.

The Brazilian electoral court found former President Jair Bolsonaro guilty of abuse of power and voted to bar him from holding office until 2030.

Bolsonaro and Walter Braga Netto were convicted by the Superior Electoral Court over abuse of power for using official Brazil's Independence Day ceremony to promote themselves as candidates, resulting in disqualification from running for any office for the next eight years.

On February 8, 2024, Brazilian Federal Police announced the arrest of four individuals and execution of 33 search warrants in connection with an alleged attempted coup to maintain Jair Bolsonaro in power as president. Fabio Wajngarten, a lawyer representing Bolsonaro, confirmed Bolsonaro's involvement in the investigation.

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his allies were revealed to have a detailed scheme to prevent his successor from taking office, leading to accusations of a coup plot.

On February 25, 2024, Jair Bolsonaro led a protest rally in São Paulo, where he denied allegations of being involved in a coup plot to stay in power after losing the 2022 presidential election.

Police seized the passport of Jair Bolsonaro and arrested several of his allies in an investigation related to a coup attempt.