Jair Messias Bolsonaro (born March 21, 1955, in Glicério, São Paulo) is a far-right Brazilian politician who served as the 38th President of Brazil from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022 (his term ending in early 2023). He grew up in a middle-class family with a rural background, joined the Brazilian Army at age 18 in 1973, served for 16 years rising to captain, and was briefly arrested for insubordination in 1986. After discharge in 1988, he entered politics, first as a Rio de Janeiro city councilor (1988), then as a federal deputy from 1991 to 2019, where he gained notoriety for controversial views defending the military dictatorship era and making inflammatory statements on social issues. His populist, authoritarian-leaning rhetoric resonated with conservative voters, leading to his surprise victory in the 2018 presidential election. As president, he pursued far-right policies including economic liberalization, deregulation of Amazon environmental protections, a hardline security stance, and a strong pro-Israel foreign policy position. His administration was marked by polarization, clashes with democratic institutions, and controversial handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. After losing the 2022 reelection to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, he has faced investigations for alleged election interference and coup plotting, though he remains an influential figure in Brazil's right-wing politics.