Dilma Rousseff is 78 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 14 December 1947.
Former guerrilla and economist who became Brazil's first female president, serving from 2011 until her impeachment in 2016
Did you know?During the 1970s, she was part of an underground guerrilla group fighting the military dictatorship and spent three years in prison.
Quick facts
Date of birth14 December 1947
Age78
NationalityBrazilian
BirthplaceBelo Horizonte, Brazil
Occupationeconomist, politician
Editor's Take:
Dilma Rousseff was Brazil's first woman president. As a young woman she joined armed resistance to the military dictatorship. She was arrested, jailed for nearly three years and tortured. She later became an economist and rose in the Workers' Party. Under President Lula she served as energy minister and chief of staff. She succeeded him in 2011 and was re-elected in 2014. A deep recession and the vast Car Wash corruption scandal followed. She was impeached over budget rules and removed in 2016.
Key Milestones
1970: Prison – under the dictatorship
2005: Chief of staff to Lula
2011: President – first woman
2014: Re-elected – second term
Dilma Vana Rousseff (Brazilian Portuguese:; born 14 December 1947), known mononymously as Dilma, 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.
