When supporters of defeated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in January to prevent Lula’s enthronement, many soldiers stood idly by as protesters smashed windows, urinated on offices and destroyed artwork.
The scenes of that day still haunt the leftist government of the new president Luiza Inácia Pipes yes Silvaso since taking office he is now working to ensure that military commanders defend South America’s largest democracy and do not interfere in politics.
The threat is not just hypothetical – Brazil has survived four military coups – most recently years 1964, followed by two decades of brutal dictatorship.
Lula is facing a difficult task. The army is full of Bolsonaro’s supporters, its role in and the new government is shrinking more and more. Lula he has already replaced more than a hundred military officers appointed to key positions by his predecessor with civilians, and has now transferred control of the intelligence agency to his cabinet.
“Lula he had to fix his relationship with the military in order to rule, and he will continue to do so,” he told the AP Carlos Melo professor of political science at the university Insper in They are Paul. Melo says the Brazilian military has long believed it has “a kind of custody of the political process in country”, and Bolsonaro only fueled this belief.
Nostalgia for the days of military dictatorship
Bolsonaro, a former army captain, appointed more than 6,000 military officers to posts within his government and launched a coup anniversary celebration years 1964, in order to strengthen nostalgia for the days of military rule.
Although that period was marked by human rights violations and the loss of civil liberties, Bolsonaro and many of his supporters have in fondly remembered as a time of strong nationalism, economic growth and conservative values.
Lulova efforts to tame the army they consider for completely missed. “Stop staring in rearview mirror and rule all Brazilians,” he said in Bolsonaro’s former vice president, General, interviewed Hamilton Mourão, who is now a senator.
Paiva in the post of army commander
The most essential Lulova the move so far has been to promote the general Tomás Paiva in army commander. 62 years old Paiva pledged to keep the military out of politics and to respect the results of the October election in which Lula narrowly defeating Bolsonaro.
It is Paiva also admitted that most of the military commanders voted for Bolsonaro and expressed his regret in front of his subordinates that he had won Lula – just three days, before the new president offered him a promotion. It’s later Paiva claimed that his statements had been misunderstood.
Will the soldiers be punished?
It is still unclear what will happen to the military members who are either participated in the January 8 riots either they did not act. Some analysts believe that it would be necessary to them Lula punishes, as this would deter similar actions in future. Hundreds of civilians who participated in rioters, were sentenced to prison terms, but the soldiers were spared until now spared.
V Lulov’s during the first two presidential terms (2003-2010), his relationship with the army was characterized more by reconciliation than confrontation, says the journalist and good an expert on the Brazilian military Fabio Victor.
But January 8 apparently changed a little Lulov’s tactics. Unlike Bolsonaro’s administration few members of the military work in presidential palaces, Lula’s allies in Congress is pushing for constitutional changes that would more clearly define the role of the military – and limit it. “Today is Lula very suspicious of the army,” Victor also said to AP.
Source: Rtvslo
