Brazil's generals are increasingly aware that their highly active role in the Bolsonaro government (3000 military men are working in the administration) is damaging the reputation of the Armed Forces, one of the most respected institutions in Brazil over the past decades. 🧵👇
Some generals think it is necessary to reduce their engagement since the Bolsonaro gov is a mess & they don't want to see the Armed Forces being tainted by an incompetent & increasingly unpopular president. Others say it's too late now & more engagement is needed to save the gov.
2 aspects in particular are bad news for the men in uniform. 1) Brazil's interim Minister of Health is an active duty general. On his watch, the number of COVID-19 victims in Brazil has jumped from 15 to 75 thousand. The generals are presiding over a disaster of epic proportions.
Second, by asking VicePresident Mourão, another general, to preside over the AmazonCouncil, Bolsonaro created another big headache for the Armed Forces: they are tasked with fixing the unfixable, a mission impossible that can only lead to further deterioration of their reputation
That is bc Bolsonaro has no intention whatsoever to reduce deforestation. It's not even a matter of personal preference, but of political survival: loggers and squatters are part of his winning coalition, and facilitating deforestation was one of Bolsonaro's key campaign promises
Mourão thus walked into a trap. Just like last year, when he was tasked with fixing Brazil-China ties. In Beijing, he promised Xi Jinping Brazil's gov would stop promoting sinophobia, only to be backstabbed by Bolsonaro's son. Mourão's standing in Beijing suffered accordingly.
This time, Mourão's reputation in Europe, where he is seen as relatively rational, will take a hit, as delivering a permanent reduction in deforestation is unlikely. Bolsonaro even holds on to Ricardo Salles, Minister of the Environment, who is in charge of deregulation.
For now, there is no way out: the more rudderless the Bolsonaro government becomes, the greater the incentive for the generals take on more responsibilities -- but the more permanently the Armed Forces will be tainted. To no-one's surprise, Bolsonaro has become their Vietnam.
Celso Rocha de Barros (@NPTO) wrote a very good piece on this topic today for @folha:
www1.folha.uol.com.br/colunas/celso-…
www1.folha.uol.com.br/colunas/celso-…
