Thread by @WholePicture_

#Thread about #Brazil #Bolsonaro #Military #democracy :
With a surprise cabinet reshuffle, the Brazilian president wants to increase control over Congress and the security forces in the face of growing resistance in politics, society and the economy.
nzz.ch/international/…

But the price his allies charge for their support is rising.

@jairbolsonaro

First it was the foreign minister, then the defense minister, and finally there were a total of six cabinet members who President Jair Bolsonaro replaced in one fell swoop on Monday.

Last week, at a hearing in Congress, several senators called on the minister to resign because it was damaging the country. He had become more and more of an obstacle to obtaining vaccines and diplomatic support during the pandemic.

Bolsonaro wants the unconditional subordination of the military
It was all the more surprising that the President dismissed Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva without repositioning him, like some of the other ministers, in internal castling.

The reason is: Silva did not subordinate herself unconditionally to the President, as he expected.

Bolsonaro was annoyed that Silva refused to use the military to open up the economy and enforce normal operations in states where governors had imposed rigorous lockdowns.

In his resignation letter, Silva emphasized that he had "protected the armed forces as a state institution". In solidarity, the commanders of the air force, the navy and the army offered to resign.

Reserve General Walter Braga Netto, previously Head of the Presidential Office, is now Minister of Defense. He cannot be expected to curb the increasing militarization of Bolsonaro's government.

There are now almost a hundred military personnel in influential positions in government and state-owned companies. Bolsonaro has just appointed a general as the new boss at Petrobras, the largest energy company in Latin America.

At the same time, Bolsonaro is strengthening the Brazilian police force. With Anderson Gustavo Torres he puts a federal police officer at the head of the Justice Department.

Torres is considered an influential representative of Brazil's gun lobby. In office, he should ensure that the police divisions previously subordinate to the member states are more or completely subordinated to the federal government. A bill has been submitted to Congress.

It would immensely increase Bolsonaro's influence on the country's security apparatus and thus further reduce the separation of powers.

But for that, Bolsonaro needs support in Congress.

But the support of Congress is becoming increasingly difficult with the growing dissatisfaction in the population about the catastrophic Covid-19 crisis management and the economic crisis.

MEPs and senators alike are playing with initiating a committee of inquiry into the pandemic or even an impeachment procedure against the president.

But above all, with these threats, they want to drive up the price for their support: They want to get items and larger pieces of the budget pie.

Elections will be in a year and a half, and to be re-elected, politicians will need money, construction projects for their constituencies and influence in Brasilia.

Bolsonaro left the environmental and economic departments completely untouched. It is believed that he wants to hold the coveted posts as another joker in his hand, should the parliamentarians demand new ministerial posts for their support.