Authoritarian leaders tend to seek to hold on to power by any means they deem necessary—whether through censorship, media control, or coups. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is one of those leaders. And some of his government’s most recent projects as well as threatening declarations that he could use the armed forces to guarantee law and order (aside from the meddling in the Army) put Brazil’s democracy at even greater risk.

On May 23, active duty General and former Minister of Health, Eduardo Pazuello, took part in a political act alongside Bolsonaro. According to the military code of conduct, it is a transgression of the rules for active military personnel to participate in political acts.

The Army immediately opened disciplinary proceedings against Pazuello and contrary to expectations, as well as to the dismay of several retired generals, the decision was contrary to punishment. Active-duty generals consulted by the Brazilian press also demonstrated their annoyance at what appears to have been a direct intervention by the president, a former army captain, to free his ally from punishment—also setting a dangerous precedent and breaching the Army’s chain of command.

Full article at Latino Rebels’ website. Date of publication: 12/07/2021.