Famous Brazilian Leaders

Michel Temer is a Brazilian politician who served as the 37th president of Brazil from 2016 to 2019. He assumed office following the impeachment of his predecessor Dilma Rousseff. Prior to that, he had been the vice president. A qualified lawyer, he has been active in politics since his college days. He was unpopular as the president. 

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, was born into a working-class family and had to abandon his studies to work as a show-shiner and metalworker as a young boy. His fortune changed after he stepped into trade unionism. He later led the Worker’s Party of Brazil.

The 38th president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro started his career in the military, serving in the army's field artillery and parachutist units. He then overcame false accusations and first-degree conviction to become the president of Brazil. Over the years, Jair Bolsonaro has also received criticisms for voicing against homosexuality, secularism, abortion, and same-sex marriage.

Retired Brazilian footballer José Roberto Gama de Oliveira, better known as Bebeto, had an illustrious career and was part of the 1994 FIFA World Cup-winning Brazilian squad. He also had successful stints with clubs such as Flamengo. He later stepped into politics and has served as the State Deputy of Rio de Janeiro.

Getúlio Vargas was a Brazilian politician and lawyer. He is best remembered for his service as the President of Brazil on two occasions; from 1930 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1954. He also served as the Minister of Finance from 1926 to 1927. Getúlio Vargas is widely regarded as the 20th century's most influential Brazilian politician.

Gilberto Gil is a Brazilian politician, singer, and songwriter. Renowned for his political activism and musical innovation, Gil began his career by writing songs that aimed at creating political awareness. Not surprisngly, he played an important role in the tropicália musical movement during the 1960s. Over the course of his career, Gilberto Gil has won a couple of Grammy Awards.

Eduardo Bolsonaro is a Brazilian lawyer, politician, and federal police officer. The son of Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, Eduardo followed in the footsteps of his father to establish himself as a prominent politician. Eduardo Bolsonaro is currently serving as the Federal Deputy for São Paulo.         

João Goulart was a Brazilian politician best remembered for his service as the President of Brazil from 1961 to 1964. Goulart also served as the Vice President of Brazil from 31 January 1956 to 25 August 1961. An important member of the Brazilian Labour Party, Goulart also served as the Minister of Labour, Industry and Trade from 1953 to 1954.

Brazilian economist and politician Dilma Rousseff served as the president of Brazil from 2011 to 2016, becoming the first Brazilian woman president. She has also served as former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Chief of Staff earlier and has been part of various energy-conservation groups.

Brazilian politician Fernando Haddad, who has served as the country’s minister of education, has also been the mayor of São Paulo. Initially an academic and investment analyst, he has spent much of his early career as an economics research consultant, too. He has also taught political science at the University of São Paulo.

Former president of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek, popularly known as JK, is remembered as the primary force behind the construction of Brazil’s new capital, Brasilia. A physician, he worked in military hospitals, before he stepped into politics with the Social Democratic Party. He died in a car crash in Rio de Janeiro.

Fernando Henrique Cardoso is a Brazilian politician who served as the 34th president of Brazil from 1995 to 2002. Qualified as a sociologist, he pursued a successful academic career before joining politics. His tenure as the president brought about major advancements in institutional human rights. He also implemented multiple reforms to address poverty and inequality in the country. 

Tancredo Neves was a Brazilian politician, entrepreneur, and lawyer. In 1985, he was elected as the President of Brazil; however, Neves died on 21 April 1985 before taking office. An important politician, Tancredo Neves served as the Prime Minister of Brazil from 1961 to 1962. He also served as the Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs from 1953 to 1954.

Flávio Bolsonaro is a Brazilian politician, entrepreneur, and lawyer. He is currently serving as the Senator for Rio de Janeiro. Flávio Bolsonaro is also known as the eldest son of popular politician Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving as the President of Brazil.

Joaquim José da Silva Xavier was a revolutionary who played a major role in a colonial Brazilian revolutionary movement called Inconfidência Mineira, which called for a creation of a Brazilian republic and full independence from the Portuguese Empire. Joaquim José da Silva Xavier was arrested and publicly hanged. Today, he is regarded as a national hero in Brazil.

Fernando Collor de Mello is a Brazilian politician best known for his service as the President of Brazil from 1990 to 1992. Collor was not only the first Brazilian president to be elected democratically after the end of the military dictatorship in Brazil, he was also the youngest president in the history of Brazil.

Aécio Neves is a Brazilian economist turned politician. He is the former president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) and was the 17th governor of Minas Gerais. He is currently a member of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. He was born into a family of politicians and has been the subject of many controversies, including corruption charges. 

Ciro Gomes is a Brazilian lawyer, politician, and academic. He served as the Minister of Finance from 1994 to 1995 before serving as the Minister of National Integration from 2003 to 2006. Ciro Gomes also served as the Mayor of Fortaleza from 1989 to 1990 and then served as the Governor of Ceará from 1991 to 1994. 

A leading figure of the Brazilian Democratic Movement, Itamar Franco served as Brazil’s 33rd president. He had also been Brazil’s ambassador to Italy, Portugal, and the Organization of American States, the mayor of Juiz de Fora, and the governor of Minas Gerais. A talented author, he also penned several short stories.

Ernesto Geisel was a Brazilian politician and military leader. He was active during the Brazilian military regime and is best remembered for his service as the President of Brazil from 15 March 1974 to 14 March 1979. Ernesto Geisel also served as the Chief Minister of the Military Cabinet on two occasions; in 1961 and again from 1964 to 1967.

Carlos Marighella was a Brazilian politician and guerrilla fighter of Marxist–Leninist orientation. As a young man, he enrolled at the Polytechnic School of Bahia to study engineering but quit to join the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB). Also a writer, he authored the Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla, a book on revolutionary struggle. He was killed by the police in 1969. 

João Figueiredo was a Brazilian politician and military leader. He is best remembered for his service as the President of Brazil from 15 March 1979 to 14 March 1985. Brazil faced severe economic crisis during his term as president, which gave rise to the Diretas Já protests, a civil unrest movement demanding direct presidential elections in Brazil. 

José Sarney is a Brazilian politician and lawyer. He served as the 31st president of Brazil from 1985 to 1990. His tenure was fraught with problems like rampant inflation and corruption. He also faced multiple allegations of nepotism in his career. Two of his children are also politicians. One of Brazil’s foremost oligarchs, he owns multiple media organizations. 

The 1st president of Brazil, Deodoro da Fonseca led a coup that ousted Emperor Pedro II. Born to an army officer, he grew up to be an army officer and fought valiantly in campaigns such as the Paraguayan War. However, as a president, he proved to be ineffective and was later forced to resign.

The 13th president of Brazil, Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa had held numerous public offices in his hometown of São Paulo, such as those of the mayor, president, and senator of São Paulo. He lost all support after failing to improve Brazil’s economy amid the Great Depression in the US.

Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves was a Brazilian politician best remembered for his service as the President of Brazil from 1902 to 1906. During his term, Rodrigues Alves remodeled Rio de Janeiro, the then capital of Brazil. He was also elected as the president for a second term in 1918; however, he died on 16 January 1919 before taking office.

Marcos Pontes is a Brazilian engineer, astronaut, and air force pilot. He became the first South American to go to space on March 30, 2006, when he docked onto the International Space Station aboard Soyuz TMA-8. He holds the distinction of being the only Brazilian to have completed the NASA astronaut training program. 

Enéas Carneiro was a Brazilian polymath. A qualified cardiologist, he also had degrees in mathematics and physics. Active in politics as well, he represented the state of São Paulo in the National Chamber of Deputies and ran for presidency three times. He founded the nationalist and conservative Party of the Reconstruction of the National Order (PRONA). 

José Bonifácio de Andrada was a Brazilian statesman. He was also a naturalist, mineralist, and professor. He was a significant proponent of Brazilian independence and also spearheaded the abolition project in Brazil. He was of the opinion that a new national capital should be created in Brazil's underdeveloped interior. As a naturalist, he discovered four new minerals.