José Roberto Lima was born in 1958 and started practicing capoeira in 1970 with Mestre Rui Montanheiro (otherwise known as Rui Charuto), in the Umbanda centre of Dona Valquiria, his teacher’s mother. He started teaching capoeira in 1979 at Condomínio Brasil Novo Pilares. He taught in the projects Segundo Tempo (2008), Rio em Forma (2012), Igreja Luz do Mundo, and Aprender Para Viver (2012).
Mestre Bebeto has been a founding member of ACONCERJ (Community Association of Capoeira Masters of the State of Rio de Janeiro) since 1999; Technical Director of LINCARJ (Capoeira League of the State of Rio de Janeiro) since 1999, Advisor to the IPHAN Safeguard Council for the State of Rio de Janeiro (since 2014), and Cultural Director of the Fluminense Capoeira Federation (2016).