Michelle Bolsonaro

Michelle de Paula Firmo Reinaldo Bolsonaro (born 22 March 1982)[1][2] is a Brazilian former parliamentary secretary of the Chamber of Deputies. She is married to President Jair Bolsonaro, making her the current First Lady of Brazil.[3] Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Family and education 1.2 Chamber and relationship with Bolsonaro 2 Personal life 3 Bolsonaro's campaign 4 Projects as First Lady 5 References 6 External links Biography[edit] Family and education[edit] Born and raised in Ceilândia, administrative region of the Federal District, Michelle de Paula is daughter of Maria das Graças Firmino and Vicente de Paulo Firmino. Her father, born in Crateús, Ceará, is a retired bus driver, whose nickname, "Paulo Negão", became nationally known in Jair Bolsonaro speeches to defend himself from accusations of racism.[4][5] She has a younger stepbrother, Diego Torres Reinaldo (b. 1988), who is a member of the Brazilian Air Force. Michelle's father and stepmother Maísa are owners of an event confection and production small business.[6] She has a high school diploma attained through adult education. She enrolled in university as a pharmacy student, but never took classes. She worked as a salesperson in a clothing store and as supermarket cashier before working as parliamentary secretary. Chamber and relationship with Bolsonaro[edit] Michelle de Paula worked as an employee of the Chamber of Deputies between 2006 and 2008. She started in the parliamentary office of Deputy Vanderlei Assis (PP-SP), whose term was recommended to be annulled by the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into the "Bloodsuckers Scandal" on August 2006.[7] Later, she became secretary to Deputy Marco Aurélio Ubiali (PSB-SP). On June 2007, Michelle was nominated for the same position in the Progressive Party (PP) leadership, staying until September. In this period, she had the first contact with her future husband, then Federal Deputy from the party, and this later became a date. At the time, she was 25 and he was 52. As she recorded later: "Everything began when we first saw [each other], in Jair's room. It didn't take too long for us to be certain that we wanted to live a life together". When Michelle met Jair Bolsonaro, he was already separated from his former spouse, Ana Cristina Valle, with whom he kept a union for 16 years. This was dissolved after a litigious lawsuit started in 2008. Michelle and Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia. In 18 September 2007, Michelle became parliamentary secretary of Bolsonaro. Only 9 days later, they signed a prenuptial agreement in the 1st Notary Public of Brasília. After around 6 months of relationship, they registered their civil union on November 2007, when she added the last name Bolsonaro to hers. Michelle became, officially, Bolsonaro's third wife - the first had been Rogéria Bolsonaro. As Bolsonaro's fiancée and wife, Bolsonaro worked in his cabinet for 1 year and 6 months, period when she was promoted and had her wage raised gradually. Before joining Bolsonaro's office, she was classified in the CNE-13 (Special Nature Post), with a salary of R$2.900. With her hiring in her future husband's office, she was promoted to SP26s (Parliamentary Secretary), with a salary of R$6,010.00. 7 months later, newly married, Bolsonaro was promoted by Bolsonaro to SP28s, receiving a salary of R$8,040.00. In 29 August 2008, the Supreme Federal Court prohibited the hiring of relatives as far as the third degree in public administration. This measure affected Mrs. Bolsonaro's job, as the wife of a member of Parliament. Her consequent dismissal occurred on 3 November 2008, with administrative effect counted since 31 October of that year. Personal life[edit] Michelle, who prefers to be called by her composite name, Michelle de Paula,[8] has two daughters: Letícia Aguiar, from a previous relationship, and Laura, from her marriage with Jair Bolsonaro.[3] In 2011, Bolsonaro gave birth to the couple's daughter, Laura. Her wedding with Bolsonaro, on 21 March 2013, occurred in a party house in Alto da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro. At the request of the bride herself, the 150 guests ceremony was conduced by pastor Silas Malafaia, one of the leader of Assembly of God Victory in Christ (Advec), which Bolsonaro was an active member and attendant until 2016. The family Bolsonaro lives in a gated community house in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro. In this neighborhood, Bolsonaro attends and helps Attitude Baptist Church since she left Advec in 2016, after a temporary misunderstanding between Malafaia and Jair Bolsonaro in the electoral campaign. Despite being a Catholic, Bolsonaro attended the same church with his wife. Bolsonaro's campaign[edit] Main article: Jair Bolsonaro presidential campaign, 2018 During great part of the Bolsonaro's electoral campaign, Bolsonaro didn't involve herself actively in rallies supporting her husband candidacy, keeping herself discreet and reserved to the media coverage, but following her husband's path in the backstage. Michelle Bolsonaro during Independence Day parade in Brasilia on 7 September 2019 Her first public appearance in an electoral ad happened in 25 October 2018, three days before the second round of the 2018 election between Bolsonaro and Fernando Haddad. In the ad, she praised her husband as a "wonderful human being" and "playful". After the attack against Bolsonaro in Juiz de Fora, in 6 September 2018, Bolsonaro followed her husband during his surgical recovery in Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital, in São Paulo. Projects as First Lady[edit] After the disclosure of the results of the second round of the presidential election, at the night of 28 October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro finished his victory speech thanking for Michelle Bolsonaro's support, for provided "peace, security and strength" for him to reach his objective, pointing out that he couldn't make it without her. He also offered her a minute to talk, but she refused.[9] The same night of 28 October, the first interview of Bolsonaro for RecordTV was broadcast, made exclusively by journalist Eduardo Ribeiro, In it, the new First Lady affirmed she wants to "make the difference" in favour of the country, and that she will keep doing her job helping disabled people and demonstrated her will to "do missions in the Northeast sertão".[10][11]