The president of BrazilLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva, today dismissed the commander of the Army, General Júlio César de Arruda, two weeks after the attempted coup perpetrated by radical Bolsonarists in Brasilia, according to local media.
The change in command of the Army occurs in the midst of a climate of mistrust between the progressive president and some sectors of the Armed Forces since the assault on the headquarters of the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court on January 8.
CRISE OF CONFIDENCE | Decision occurs 13 days after attacks on the three Powers; The new commander made a speech defending respect for the result of the election. read more https://t.co/Joy5LOPKbt
? Marcos Correa/PR
? Bruno Boghossian and Igor Gielow pic.twitter.com/McQKJ5DldI— Folha de S.Paulo (@folha) January 21, 2023
The cessation comes a day after the meeting that Lula held with Arruda and the commanders of the Navy and Aeronautics to discuss investments and plans to modernize the three forces, according to Defense Minister José Múcio.
according to the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulothe decision was communicated this Saturday to Arruda, who leaves office before completing his first month in it.
According to the newspaper, Lula made that decision because Arruda “did not show willingness” to take “immediate” measures to appease his doubts about the actions of some military sectors in the attempted coup two weeks ago.
Lula, who assumed power on January 1, has stated in several times your doubts on the role of the Armed Forces in relation to the invasion and the serious damage caused to the headquarters of the three powers.
Last week, at a breakfast with journalists, he assured that there were “many soldiers and police officers” who were “colluding” with the attempted coup and that he is “convinced” that someone from inside the Planalto presidential palace “facilitated” the entry of the radicals.
On Wednesday, in an interview with GloboNewsonce again revealed that distrust by criticizing the intelligence agencies “of the Army, the Police and the Navy” for not notifying him that radical Bolsonarists were organizing for the assault on Brasilia.
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Arruda took office as commander of the Army on December 30, when the now former president Jair Bolsonaro was still in power, and continued in office with the Lula government.
According to local media, his replacement will be General Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, who this week, in a military ceremony, made a strong statement in defense of the democratic order and the result of the October elections, in which Lula defeated Bolsonaro, who he still does not admit his defeat at the polls.
With information from Efe.
