Antônio Hamilton Martins Mourão (; born 15 August 1953) is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who served as the 25th
vice president of Brazil
The vice president of Brazil (), officially the vice president of the Federative Republic of Brazil (''Vice-Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil''), or simply the ''vice president of the republic'' (''Vice-Presidente da República'') i ...
from 2019 to 2023.
Mourão served in the
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army (; EB) is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordina ...
for almost five decades from 1971 to 2018, retiring as a General, the highest rank a Brazilian soldier can reach during peace time. During his tenure in the military, he became nationally-known after a 2015 incident in which he criticized then-President
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff (; born 14 December 1947) is a Brazilian economist and politician who served as the 36th president of Brazil from 2011 until her impeachment and removal from office on 31 August 2016. She is the only woman to have held the ...
and called for "the awakening of a patriotic struggle".
In the
2018 election, Mourão intended to run for President as a member of the far-right
Brazilian Labour Renewal Party. However, he dropped out of the race in order to join Jair Bolsonaro's
successful campaign as his running mate. The two were elected in the second round of the election, and Mourão took office as Vice President on 1 January 2019.
Mourão is a controversial figure, owing to his praise of the
military dictatorship in Brazil
The military dictatorship in Brazil (), occasionally referred to as the Fifth Brazilian Republic, was established on 1 April 1964, after a 1964 Brazilian coup d'état, coup d'état by the Brazilian Armed Forces, with support from the United Stat ...
(1964–1985), during which he had served in the military. Nonetheless, during the Bolsonaro presidency, he has sometimes been seen as a moderate voice in the administration. His public disputes with Bolsonaro led to friction with Bolsonaro and his supporters, including calls for Mourão's impeachment from Bolsonaro-supporting members of
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
. Bolsonaro did not choose Mourão as his running mate in the
2022 election, instead picking
Walter Souza Braga Netto in a losing presidential bid. Mourão opted instead to run for the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
in the
2022 Brazilian general election
General elections were held in Brazil on 2 October 2022 to elect the President of Brazil, president, Vice President of Brazil, vice president, the National Congress of Brazil, National Congress, the 2022 Brazilian gubernatorial elections, govern ...
, representing the state of
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
, which he won.
Early life
Mourão was born in
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre (, ; , ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian Federative units of Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants (2022) makes it the List of largest cities in Brazil, 11th-most p ...
,
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
, the son of General Antônio Hamilton Mourão and Wanda Coronel Martins. He retired on 28 February 2018. He is of
Indigenous Brazilian descent, and declares himself
Indigenous Brazilian. Hamilton is a practicing Roman Catholic and a Freemason, although the Catholic Church prohibits Catholics from being freemasons.
Military career
Military career
Mourão joined the
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army (; EB) is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordina ...
in February 1972, in the
Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras
The Military Academy of Agulhas Negras (, AMAN – named after the Pico das Agulhas Negras, Agulhas Negras summit) is the biggest school of formation of combatant officers of the Brazilian Army. It originated in 1792 with the creation of the Roy ...
(AMAN), in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, where he became on officer on December 12, 1975. As lieutenant, he was instructor at Military Academy and as Captain, he worked with
Jair Bolsonaro
Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and former military officer who served as the 38th president of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as a member of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamb ...
in the 8th
Paratrooper Field Artillery Group, placed in Rio de Janeiro.
He later had classes at the
Escola de Comando e Estado-Maior do Exército
The Escola de Comando e Estado-Maior do Exército - ECEME (Brazilian Army Command and General Staff School) - Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco, Escola Marechal Castello Branco – is in the Urca neighborhood, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Br ...
(ECEME) where he graduated as Staff Officer and attended classes of Politics, Strategy and Army High Administration. He also trained in Basic Parachuting, Jump Master and Free Jump.
During his military career he was an instructor at AMAN, was part of a peace mission in
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
and was the Military Attache for Brazil's Embassy to
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
. He commanded the 27th Field Artillery Group in Ijuí,
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
; the 2nd Jungle Infantry Brigade in
São Gabriel da Cachoeira
São Gabriel da Cachoeira (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Saint Gabriel of the Waterfall'') is a Municipalities of Brazil, municipality located on the northern shore of the Rio Negro (Amazon), Rio Negro River, in the region of Cabeça do Ca ...
,
Amazonas; the 6th Army Division and Military Command of the South in
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre (, ; , ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian Federative units of Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants (2022) makes it the List of largest cities in Brazil, 11th-most p ...
,
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
. Leaving the active service in 2018, Mourão considered running for president of the Military Club.
Political career
Entrance into politics in 2015
Mourão gained fame in 2015 during the political crisis in the second term of president
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff (; born 14 December 1947) is a Brazilian economist and politician who served as the 36th president of Brazil from 2011 until her impeachment and removal from office on 31 August 2016. She is the only woman to have held the ...
, when he was transferred from the Military Command of the South (CMS) to the Secretary of Economy and Finance, in the
Federal District
A federal district is a specific administrative division in one of various federations. These districts may be under the direct jurisdiction of a federation's national government, as in the case of federal territory (e.g., India, Malaysia), or the ...
, due to statements made in a speech about the current state of politics.
In a public announcement of the Masonic Lodge
Grande Oriente in September 2017, in the Federal District, Mourão stated that, "among the duties of the Brazilian Army, there was the guarantee of the operation of the institutions and of the law and order", and that, if the judiciary "couldn't be able to heal the existing politics in the country, this would be imposed by the army through a military intervention", which, in his vision, "is provided by the Federal Constitution of 1988".
However, in May 2018, following the
truck drivers' strike, Mourão spoke against calls for military intervention in the government, stating that "if the government lacks conditions to govern, leave, resign. Call elections earlier, do whatever, but end its immobilism", and that "the country cannot descend to chaos". He also called the Unified Federation of Oil Workers' strike, "shameful", and said "there are people taking advantage
f the situationon both sides".
2018 vice presidential candidacy
On 8 May 2018, Mourão announced his membership in the
Brazilian Labor Renewal Party (PRTB) and his intention to run for
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil (), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil () or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head of government of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the ...
, along with
Levy Fidelix. However, in August 2018, Mourão became vice presidential running mate of far-right Presidential candidate
Jair Bolsonaro
Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and former military officer who served as the 38th president of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as a member of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamb ...
.
On 28 October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro won 55.2% of the vote against 44.8% for
Fernando Haddad of the left-wing
Workers' Party
Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...
in the
Brazilian presidential election.
Vice President of Brazil (2019–2023)
On 1 January 2019, Mourão was sworn in as the
Vice President of Brazil
The vice president of Brazil (), officially the vice president of the Federative Republic of Brazil (''Vice-Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil''), or simply the ''vice president of the republic'' (''Vice-Presidente da República'') i ...
. He has been seen as a more moderate figure in the President Jair Bolsonaro’s government, causing rivalry with Bolsonaro.
In February 2022, Mourão was disauthorized by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for saying that Brazil opposed the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. Bolsonaro stated that the President is the one who makes statements about that subject.
In March 2022, Mourão changed his political affiliation to
Republicanos, declaring his intention to run for the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
in the
2022 Brazilian general election
General elections were held in Brazil on 2 October 2022 to elect the President of Brazil, president, Vice President of Brazil, vice president, the National Congress of Brazil, National Congress, the 2022 Brazilian gubernatorial elections, govern ...
, to represent the state of
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
. He also declared his support for the reelection of
Jair Bolsonaro
Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and former military officer who served as the 38th president of Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as a member of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamb ...
.
As Bolsonaro left the country on 30 December, on the 31st, Mourão as the acting president, did the last statement before the end of his term. Mourão attacked the
2022 Brazilian election protests and "leaderships" of the legislative and judiciary for creating a "climate of chaos" "with inopportune and deleterious silence or protagonism" in Brazil attempting a coup, leaving the Armed Forces and the Brazilian people to "pay the bill".
Senator from Rio Grande do Sul (2023-present)
In the
2022 Brazilian general election
General elections were held in Brazil on 2 October 2022 to elect the President of Brazil, president, Vice President of Brazil, vice president, the National Congress of Brazil, National Congress, the 2022 Brazilian gubernatorial elections, govern ...
, Mourão ran for
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
to represent the state of
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
as a member of the
''Republicanos'' party.
He assumed the office on 1 February 2023.
Personal life
Mourão became a widower in December 2016. He married Paula Mourão in October 2018. Paula is a
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
of the Brazilian Army, where the couple met. They made their relationship public in 2017. The Mourãos own residences in
Brasília
Brasília ( ; ) is the capital city, capital of Brazil and Federal District (Brazil), Federal District. Located in the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino ...
and
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
.
Mourão is a practising
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mourão, Hamilton
1953 births
Brazilian Freemasons
Brazilian generals
Brazilian politicians of indigenous peoples descent
Brazilian Roman Catholics
Living people
People from Porto Alegre
Right-wing populism in South America
Vice presidents of Brazil
Candidates for Vice President of Brazil
Members of the Federal Senate (Brazil)