Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro recently removed six cabinet ministers in a single day, followed by the commanders of the army, air force, and navy the next day, according to O Globo, one of the country’s top media outlets, generally considered to be conservative in its political leaning. Many of President Bolsonaro’s selected replacements are seen as more closely aligned with him politically.
The resignations and cabinet firings occur as Brazil has been buffeted by the coronavirus pandemic, and the O Globo article notes that rapid turnover at the ministerial level has engendered concern about the stability of Bolsonaro’s government. Further, this move follows a period of tension between Bolsonaro and Brazil’s armed forces, reports Veja, a leading weekly news magazine in Brazil generally described as center-right politically. In recent months, Bolsonaro has referred to the armed forces as “my army” and sought to politicize them, according to the analysis offered in the Veja article. The cabinet resignations and removal of commanders could affect readiness and morale, which in turn could affect the performance of the armed forces in some of their most important duties related to internal and external security. Further, the politicization of the armed forces, or any move seen as potentially having such effect, is particularly sensitive in Brazil, which lived under a military dictatorship from 1965-1985.
Consequently, Brazil’s armed forces strongly guard their political independence, which they reasserted in a statement after Bolsonaro’s cabinet shuffle and move to install new commanders.
Whoever thinks that this law will be a magic formula that will reduce crime and homicides is being too optimistic…experts say that Mexico’s only realistic possibility of confronting the cartels is through capable police institutions, which the country has failed to build.
Source: “Bolsonaro faz aceno ao Centrão e busca maior influência nos quartéis com reforma ministerial (Bolsonaro nods to the ‘Big Center’ coalition and seeks greater influence in the barracks with ministerial reform),” O Globo (one of the country’s top media outlets, generally considered to be conservative in its political leaning), 29 March 2021. https://g1.globo.com/politica/noticia/2021/03/29/reforma-ministerial-astrocas-de-bolsonaro-no-primeiro-escalao-do-governo-nesta-segunda.ghtml
Authorities hope that Mexico’s legalization for recreational use will increase competition, lower prices and reduce the black market for drug gangs. Some 200 organized crime groups operate in Mexico, where around 270,000 people have been killed since 2006… Whoever thinks that this law will be a magic formul President Jair Bolsonaro made the largest series of exchanges in a single day since the beginning of his government: six ministers left their positions. The changes affected: the Ministry of Defense; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Justice; the Civil House; the Federal Attorney General; and, the Government Secretary. At least two of these moves have a clear purpose: a nod to the central political coalition and an attempt to increase his support among the armed forces. a that will reduce crime and homicides is being too optimistic…experts say that Mexico’s only realistic possibility of confronting the cartels is through capable police institutions, which the country has failed to build.
Source: “Manobra diversionista: as tensões entre Bolsonaro e os militares (Diversionary maneuver: tensions between Bolsonaro and the military),” Veja (a leading weekly news magazine in Brazil generally described as center-right politically), 7 April 2021. https://veja.abril.com.br/politica/os-bastidores-da-crise-de-bolsonaro-com-os-militares/
Convinced that there is a campaign to take him out of power, Bolsonaro fired General Fernando Azevedo e Silva, who headed the Ministry of Defense, and the military commanders because he considered that they refused to support him, for example, in the clash with state governors over the adoption of pandemic lockdown measures. [Bolsonaro] hoped that the Army would be loyal and serve as a persuasive weapon in the political dispute. He used the presidential pen to reform the team in order to make it more aligned with his objectives.
Hits: 0