Braz. political sci. rev.2026;20(1):e0007.
Jair Bolsonaro’s Center of Government: Dynamics and Decision-Making
Evelyn Apolinaria
, Arnaldo Mauerberg Júnior
DOI: 10.1590/1981-3821202600010007
Abstract
This article analyzes the distinctive features of the Center of Government (CoG) under President Jair Bolsonaro, using the framework developed by Cavalcante and Batista (2018). The CoG encompasses a set of units, whether formally or informally linked to the presidential hierarchy, whose primary role is to support presidential decision-making. Our analysis draws on federal legislation that structures the Executive Branch and on Bolsonaro’s official daily schedule to trace interaction patterns and decision-making dynamics within the CoG. The findings show that, although Bolsonaro inherited the basic CoG structure from previous administrations, he diverged from his predecessors by eliminating thematic secretariats within the presidency and by prioritizing interaction with the Institutional Security Bureau over other offices. He also reoriented political coordination toward the Casa Civil, particularly from 2021 onward, when the administration intensified negotiations with political actors during the second half of his term.
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