MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian Army chief anticipates an even worse political ethical situation in 2017

General Villas Boas anticipated that in the incoming year difficulties punishing the country will worsen, with negative impact on the Armed Forces budget

Brazil's commander in chief of the Army, General Eduardo Villas Boas anticipates that the current situation described as “political, economic but above all ethical” will worsen during 2017, which he said will be reflected in the Defense ministry budget and salaries of Armed Forces members.

 “In this difficult year, which is about to end, in the midst of a persistent political, economic and particularly ethical crisis, I have witnessed with satisfaction and pride the effective, willing and enthusiastic presence of our members along the whole of the country”, said the Army chief in his “Christmas and New Year message” to the force.
He anticipated that in the coming year difficulties punishing the country will worsen, with a negative impact on the Armed Forces budget and salaries.
Villas Boas underlined that his forecast does not weaken confidence in the fact “we will not move a millimeter from our rectilinear unmovable service commitment to the Brazilian nation,” and the Army will go through the crisis “respecting and supporting the Constitution with the backing of the nation's confidence in its land forces”.
The Army chief added that he has already witnessed this impeccable conduct, with satisfaction and pride in the Forces, during 2016.
Brazil is going through two consecutive recession years, 2015 and 2016, with the economy contracting 3.8% and 3.5%, the worst performances since 1930.
This year also the ex elected president Dilma Rousseff was removed from office following impeachment proceedings in Congress, and was replaced by Michel Temer. The backstage to all this turmoil is the gigantic corruption scandal in the country's largest corporation Petrobras and its ramifications involving the main public works construction companies that handed generous “donations” to political parties and politicians.
Villas Boas last December when Congress voted the beginning of impeachment proceedings, said the Armed Forces will remain loyal and respectful of the Constitution and the legal system.
At the time Villas Boas stated that the Army was most aware of its role in moments of crisis, “as we are currently undergoing and which has three main components, all linked, political, economic and ethical-moral.”