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On 21 January, Army Commander, General Júlio César de Arruda, was dismissed from his position due to the attacks against government buildings in Brasília. On 9 January, in a meeting with the Armed Forces commanders, President Lula had already revealed his criticism of the conduct of the military amid the attacks perpetrated by Bolsonaro’s supporters in Brasília. The president’s main complaint was the delay for the Armed Forces to act and protect the Presidential Palace, the Congress and the Supreme Court (STF). But many other aspects led to Arruda’s demise, including active measures that probably prevented the military police from arresting people camped in front of the Army HQ.
The Commanders’ Response
Right after the incident, Commanders Júlio Cesar de Arruda (Army), Marcos Sampaio Olsen (Navy) and Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno (Airforce) sought to present justifications to Defense Minister José Múcio. Their main argument was that they had information that the Federal District police would act promptly to contain the rioters, which did not happen.
Insufficient Troops
The president was informed that the Institutional Security Cabinet (GSI) had summoned the Army battalion to protect the Planalto Palace three times, but the contingent was insufficient. In the conversation, the commanders assured Lula that the troops are now “under control”. Regarding the camps with protesters demanding a military coup, they promised that they would all be closed by Monday night, which was done.
Distrust Already Established
On Thursday (12/01), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said that the Armed Forces are not “a moderating power as they think they are” and exposed distrust with the security of the Planalto Palace when saying that he is convinced that police and the military let the coup demonstrators invade the headquarters of the Executive Branch.
15 Armed Forces Members Involved in the Acts of Vandalism
At least 15 soldiers linked in some way to the attacks have already been identified. Among those identified, there is an Army reserve general, Ridauto Fernandes, an Army colonel, Paulo Jorge Fernandes da Hora, and a Navy Captain, Vilmar Fortuna. This helped spread more distrust between the government and the security forces.
Walking on Thin Ice
Múcio is under intense criticisms from Lula’s allies in the Workers’ Party (PT), after the acts of vandalism. The minister was a supporter of the thesis of a peaceful exit for the demonstrators camped in front of the military facilities, including the Army headquarters in Brasília. The group took part in the attacks in the capital. Then, he was perceived as weak and unable to exert influence over the Armed Forces commanders. Those against Múcio supported the idea that he should ask to leave the position spontaneously, citing personal matters or appeal from family members, which would be an “honorable” solution for him.
However, the permanence of Defense Minister José Múcio in office was defended in a rare virtual meeting between five former defense ministers, on 11 January. The group composed of Nelson Jobim, Aldo Rebelo, Raul Jungmann and Fernando Azevedo asked to meet with Jaques Wagner, a PT member and close to Lula, who had also been defense minister, in 2015. The former ministers expressed their concern about the pressure that the PT and left-wing members of Lula put on Múcio, placed in office precisely because he has a moderate and conciliatory profile. The former ministers are against Múcio’s removal because they believe it could lead to an escalation of “hostilities”.
Dismissals
Even though Múcio resisted the pressure against him, Army Commander Júlio César de Arruda, did not. In addition to the series of security problems in which the Army appears to be involved, a few other factors led to his removal. First, Arruda’s decision to prevent the military police to enter the rioters camp in front of the Army HQ, in Brasília. He place armored cars and soldiers to stop the police, which may have allowed protesters to escape. It is believed that this was done to allow military relatives to escape. Second, the fact that he appointed a close ally of Bolsonaro, Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cesar Barbosa Cid, to command the Army Battalion in Goiânia, a strategic location. Third, a speech of General Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, in which he supported the defense of democracy and the Armed Forces’ Constitutional role.
After demonstrating distrust with the military who work in the government, President Lula dismissed 40 members of the Armed Forces who worked in the Administration Coordination of the Presidential Palace, the official residence of the President. Three more military personnel from the Institutional Security Office (GSI) who work in the General Coordination of Presidential Security Operations were also dismissed. In all, including even names that supported the official residences and other members of the GSI, 69 military personnel were dismissed so far.
No Coup, Just Intelligence Failures
According to political commentators from local news sources, senior military officers assessed that there was not a coup attempt on 8 January, even though the supporters of Bolsonaro requested that. For them, there was a demonstration that got out of control. They said that the event was helped by intelligence failures that did not consider that there would be violence during the acts. Commentators believe that they want to distance themselves from the image of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and strengthen ties with President Lula (PT). A good motivation for that is the search for investments to modernize the forces, which have a series of equipment in need of repair or already in the end of their life cycle.
