Presidents Of Brazil (1891-2026): Who Has Led Brazil? Complete List of Brazilian Presidents from Deodoro da Fonseca to Lula da Silva
Discover the updated list of Presidents of Brazil as current head of state Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secures a historic fourth presidential term in the latest election, continuing Brazil’s democratic executive timeline from 1889 to the present.
The Federative Republic of Brazil (knowns as República Federativa do Brasil) is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest in the world by area. Since the overthrow of the constitutional monarchy and Emperor Pedro II in 1889 Brazil has experienced several constitutional eras:
the Old Republic (República Velha),
the Vargas Era,
the Fourth Republic (Populist Era),
the Military Dictatorship (1964–1985), and
the New Republic (Nova República).
Today executive power is headed by the President of Brazil who acts as both head of state and head of government. And in this article you would read the comprehensivily verified chronological list of Brazilian presidents, their tenures, and political parties.
Key Historical and Constitutional Eras of Brazil Presidency
-
First Republic or Old Republic (1889 - 1930): It was initiated by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca after the 1889 proclamation characterized by oligarchic 'coffee with milk' politics.
-
The Vargas Era (1930–1945): This one was a nationalist transformation and authoritarian Estado Novo under Getúlio Vargas.
-
The Second or Fourth Republic (1946 - 1964): Democratic restoration that saw the construction of Brasília under Juscelino Kubitschek.
-
Military Dictatorship (1964 - 1985): Two decades of military leadership starting with Castelo Branco.
-
New Republic (1985 - Present): Re democratisation anchored by the 1988 Federal Constitution, civilian handovers, and contemporary political coalitions.
Complete Chronological List of Presidents of Brazil from 1889 to 2026
Now take a look at the following table to know about all the political leaders who served the term as Brazil's President along with their tenure:
| No. | President of Brazil | Tenure | Political Party or Background |
| 1. | Manuel Deodoro da Fonseca | 1889–1891 | Military |
| 2. | Floriano Peixoto | 1891–1894 | Military |
| 3. | Prudente José de Morais Barros | 1894–1898 | Federal Republican Party (PR Federal) |
| 4. | Manuel Ferraz de Campos Sales | 1898–1902 | São Paulo Republican Party (PRP) |
| 5. | Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves | 1902–1906 | São Paulo Republican Party (PRP) |
| 6. | Afonso Augusto Moreira Pena | 1906–1909 | Mineiro Republican Party (PRM) |
| 7. | Nilo Procópio Peçanha | 1909–1910 | Fluminense Republican Party (PRF) |
| 8. | Hermes Rodrigues da Fonseca | 1910–1914 | Conservative Republican Party (PRC) |
| 9. | Venceslau Brás Pereira Gomes | 1914–1918 | Mineiro Republican Party (PRM) |
| 10. | Delfim Moreira da Costa Ribeiro | 1918–1919 | Mineiro Republican Party (PRM) |
| 11. | Epitácio Lindolfo da Silva Pessoa | 1919–1922 | Mineiro Republican Party (PRM) |
| 12. | Artur da Silva Bernardes | 1922–1926 | Mineiro Republican Party (PRM) |
| 13. | Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa | 1926–1930 | São Paulo Republican Party (PRP) |
| 14. | Provisional Military Junta | 1930 | Military |
| 15. | Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (1st period) | 1930–1945 | Liberal Alliance / Estado Novo |
| 16. | José Linhares (Acting) | 1945–1946 | Non-partisan (Judiciary) |
| 17. | Eurico Gaspar Dutra | 1946–1951 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 18. | Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (2nd period) | 1951–1954 | Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) |
| 19. | João Fernandes Campos Café Filho | 1954–1955 | Social Progressive Party (PSP) |
| 20. | Carlos Coimbra da Luz (Acting) | 1955 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 21. | Nereu de Oliveira Ramos (Acting) | 1955–1956 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 22. | Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira | 1956–1961 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 23. | Jânio da Silva Quadros | 1961 | National Labour Party (PTN) |
| 24. | Pascoal Ranieri Mazzilli (1st time, acting) | 1961 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 25. | João Belchior Marques Goulart | 1961–1964 | Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) |
| 26. | Pascoal Ranieri Mazzilli (2nd time, acting) | 1964 | Social Democratic Party (PSD) |
| 27. | Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco | 1964–1967 | Military / ARENA |
| 28. | Artur da Costa e Silva | 1967–1969 | Military / ARENA |
| 29. | Military Directorate of 1969 | 1969 | Armed Forces Triumvirate |
| 30. | Emílio Garrastazú Médici | 1969–1974 | Military / ARENA |
| 31. | Ernesto Geisel | 1974–1979 | Military / ARENA |
| 32. | João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo | 1979–1985 | Democratic Social Party (PDS) |
| 33. | José Sarney de Araújo Costa | 1985–1990 | Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB) |
| 34. | Fernando Affonso Collor de Mello | 1990–1992 | Party of National Reconstruction (PRN) |
| 35. | Itamar Augusto Cautiero Franco | 1992–1995 | PMDB / Independent |
| 36. | Fernando Henrique Cardoso | 1995–2003 | Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) |
| 37. | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (1st and 2nd terms) | 2003–2011 | Workers' Party (PT) |
| 38. | Dilma Vana Rousseff | 2011–2016 | Workers' Party (PT) |
| 39. | Michel Miguel Elias Temer Lulia | 2016–2019 | Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) |
| 40. | Jair Messias Bolsonaro | 2019–2023 | Social Liberal Party (PSL) / Liberal Party (PL) |
| 41. | (Current/Return) | 2023–Present | Workers' Party (PT) |
Harshita Singh is an education and general knowledge journalist with over 5 years of experience in educational writing. Specializing in US affairs and GK, Harshita has a track record of breaking down intricate geopolitical and historical subjects into clear, digestible insights for learners. Her strong background in text analysis, coupled with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English from the University of Delhi, helps her produce authoritative, thoroughly researched content that empowers readers to engage confidently with global current affairs. For inquiries or academic insights, you can reach out to her directly at harshita.singh@jagrannewmedia.com.