Astronauta Marcos Pontes

Marcos César Pontes, better known as Astronaut Marcos Pontes, is a Brazilian engineer, astronaut, and politician affiliated with the Liberal Party (PL) . He is a lieutenant colonel aviator in the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) , currently in the reserve, and was Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation from 2019 to 2022 in the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government .

He was the first Brazilian, South American, and Portuguese-speaking person to go into space, on a mission named " Centenary Mission ," in reference to the centenary of Santos Dumont 's flight in the 14-bis airplane. From 2011 to 2018, he served as an ambassador for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) .

Political Career

Marcos Pontes began his political career in the 2014 São Paulo elections, running for a seat as a federal deputy for the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) in São Paulo and achieving a substitute position with 43,707 votes (0.21%). In the 2018 São Paulo state elections, he was elected, along with Major Olímpio , as the second alternate senator for the PSL, currently called PL. On October 31st, then-President Jair Bolsonaro announced that Marcos Pontes would be the Minister of Science and Technology.

He is currently serving his first term as a senator for the state of São Paulo.

Performance in the National Congress

The senator's main priorities include promoting the development of science, technology, and innovation, both in the state of São Paulo and throughout Brazil, with the goal of boosting competitiveness and generating new opportunities. Furthermore, he is a proponent of sustainable development, seeking to balance economic growth with environmental preservation. His work also stands out in promoting public safety and combating corruption, with a commitment to strengthening institutions and ensuring a fairer and safer future for the population.

Among his main achievements are:

• He is the author of Bill 1712/2024 , which includes the dissemination of false information as a crime against probity in Public Administration, as defined in Article 9 of Law No. 1,079 of April 10, 1950.

• He is the author of Bill 3492/2023 , which establishes the National Program to incentivize the use of solar water heaters in homes.

• He is the rapporteur for Bill 2802/2024 , which amends Article 932 of Law No. 10,406, of January 10, 2002 (Civil Code), to establish the civil liability of parents for acts committed by their minor children on the internet.