Brazilian military sources have announced the dismissal of their leader, Julio César de Arruda, by President Lula. An eviction which follows two weeks after the invasion of the highest places of power in Brasilia by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has sacked army chief Julio César de Arruda two weeks after attacks on power centers in Brasilia, armed forces sources said on Saturday.
Julio César de Arruda assumed this function on an interim basis since December 30, two days before the end of the mandate of the far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, and had been confirmed there at the beginning of January by the new administration of Lula. He will be replaced by the southeast military commander, Tomas Ribeiro Paiva, according to GloboNews.
Tomas Ribeiro Paiva said in a public speech on Wednesday that the army would continue “to guarantee democracy”. “It’s the regime of the people, of alternation in power. It’s the vote. And when we vote, we must respect the results of the ballot boxes,” he said, according to a video published by the site. G1 information. Julio César de Arruda had participated Friday in Lula’s first meeting with the military leaders, at the end of which none had made a statement.
“No direct involvement” of the army in the riots according to the ministry
The military leaders “accept” that sanctions be taken against the members of the armed forces involved in the riots, however, said at the end of this meeting the Minister of Defense, José Mucio, stressing however that the participants in the meeting did not hadn’t really mentioned the riots. The minister had also argued that there had been no “direct involvement” of the army in the riots in Brasilia.
The relationship with the armed forces is one of Lula’s biggest immediate challenges, according to analysts who point to the significant military presence in the previous administration. The left-wing leader has begun a “deep review” in the military apparatus serving the executive after expressing his mistrust of certain members responsible for his security.
A total of 53 of them were dismissed this week, thirteen of whom were part of the Institutional Security Cabinet (GSI), a government body responsible for assisting the Head of State in his national security and defense policy. More than 4,000 supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro wreaked havoc in Brasilia on January 8, storming and ransacking the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court.
