Jair Bolsonaro Fast Facts
President Jair Bolsonaro and his father, João, are members of a military order known as the “Guarda de Honra,” a social conservative political movement with roots in neo-Catholicism.
Bolsonaro was elected as Brazil’s 36th president in October 2018, winning on a platform that prioritized a more conservative and religious nationalistic agenda. In May of this year, Bolsonaro signed a decree that extended his term in office six years, until 2034.
Bolsonaro and his two immediate successors are almost identical twins. The presidential candidate that is currently polling second to incumbent president, Michel Temer, comes from a different family. Bolsonaro’s family’s members have been members of the military order of the “Guarda de Honra,” which was formed by military commanders in 1891. Members from this military fraternity are all eligible to serve under Brazilian law, and they are eligible to hold various positions in the national military.
The Order of “Guarda de Honra” – a Religious Order with Military Characteristics
The “Guarda de Honra” is one of Brazil’s oldest military orders, having been founded by military commanders in 1891 under a religious order. It is, along with the “Guarda da Fazenda,” one of the three main orders of the Army of the Brazilian Army (AR-9) system. The order serves under the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to maintain the spiritual and moral order of the Army, thus the term “Guarda de Honra.”
As members of this religious order, Bolsonaro and his siblings have received a number of leadership titles and positions. His brother, Ademir Bolsonaro, is the former Army chief of staff and is now the vice president of the National Security Council. His younger sister, Mariana de Bolsonaro, is married to the current president, Michel Temer.
His brother, Marco Antonio Bolsonaro, is the former commander of the air force. In December 2016, he was nominated vice president of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil. In early February 2018, he announced his candidacy for the Senate, saying he would seek the Presidency, despite a law that bans members of the Supreme Federal Court from running.
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