2021 Brazilian military crisis

President Jair Bolsonaro and military authorities, in December 2020

A military crisis was triggered in March 2021 when Brazil's highest military officials resigned in response to President Jair Bolsonaro's attempts to politicize the armed forces.[1][2] Since the beginning of his government, Bolsonaro had appointed an unprecedented number of military personnel to civilian positions, seeking to receive, in exchange, support from the military, including through public demonstrations in favor of his government's policies and against the measures adopted by the governors to confront the COVID-19 pandemic,[3][4] in addition to advocating the decree of the State of Defense, as a way to increase its powers.[5]

On March 29, after being fired by the president, Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva declared he had preserved the Armed Forces as "state institutions."[6] The following day, Commanders Edson Pujol (Army), Ilques Barbosa (Navy) and Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez (Air Force) resigned, in an unprecedented act in the New Republic.[7][8] The commanders' collective resignation sought to demonstrate their opposition to any political interference by the military.[9] However, the crisis generated concerns related to the politicization of the Armed Forces and the possibility of President Bolsonaro planning a self-coup.[10][11]

  1. ^ "Politização das Forças Armadas e promiscuidade com governo gestaram crise inédita, dizem especialistas". Folha de S. Paulo. 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  2. ^ Carla Jiménez (2021-03-30). "Troca na Defesa denuncia crise militar e marca divisão entre generais sobre radicalismo de Bolsonaro" [Swap in Defense denounces military crisis and marks division between generals over Bolsonaro’s radicalism: The departure of minister and commanders of the Armed Forces takes the country by surprise and opens up questions about the president's bets, pressured by the Centrão and the economic sector]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  3. ^ Géssica Brandino; Renata Galf (2021-02-28). "Entenda a militarização do governo Bolsonaro e as ameaças que isso representa". Folha de S. Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  4. ^ Andréia Sadi (2021-03-30). "Para generais, Bolsonaro busca uso político das Forças, perfil como de Villas Bôas no Exército e 'recados de apoio' nas redes sociais". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  5. ^ Ricardo Kotscho (2021-03-29). "Recusa em apoiar Estado de Sítio levou à demissão do ministro da Defesa". Uol (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  6. ^ Guilherme Mazui; Roniara Castilhos; Mateus Rodrigues (2021-03-29). "Ministro da Defesa, Fernando Azevedo e Silva deixa o cargo". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  7. ^ "Chefes das Forças Armadas deixam cargos: repercussão". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  8. ^ "Comandantes das Forças Armadas pedem demissão em protesto contra Bolsonaro". Folha de S. Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  9. ^ Igor Gielow (2021-03-29). "Comandantes militares colocam cargos à disposição e descartam golpismo". Folha de S. Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  10. ^ "Crise militar, truque sujo de autogolpista". O Estado de S. Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2021-03-31. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  11. ^ Mônica Bergamo (2021-03-30). "Bolsonaro quebra hierarquia para tentar auto-golpe depois de levar país à anarquia, avaliam partidos e ministros do STF". Folha de S. Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-31.