MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Corruption a threat to democracy, remarks top Brazilian military on Army Day
The general spoke alongside Temer, who himself has been charged twice with corruption but so far remains protected by Congress from having to face a trial. Brazil's top army commander made another foray into political commentary, warning that corruption poses a threat to democracy in Latin America's biggest country. The comment by General Eduardo Villas Boas was his second high-profile remark on the state of Brazil's democracy this month, going against an unwritten rule that high-ranking military officers keep out of politics.
“We can't be indifferent to the more than 60,000 murders a year, the banalization of corruption, the impunity, the insecurity caused by organized crime and the ideological politicization of national problems,” the general said in a speech marking army day last day. “These are real threats to our democracy.”
Villas Boas caused a stir on April 3 when his criticism of “impunity” for corrupt politicians was seen as a direct appeal for the Supreme Court to authorize prison for ex-president Lula da Silva, who was jailed for corruption that same week.
His comments come with the army playing a more high-profile role after President Michel Temer ordered the military to take over security in Rio de Janeiro, where police struggle to cope with violent crime.
The general spoke alongside Temer, who himself has been charged twice with corruption but so far remains protected by Congress from having to face a trial.
Brazil's military is highly respected but has kept largely clear of politics since the return of democracy in 1985 after two decades of dictatorship.
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Read all commentsMORE ominous signs?
Apr 23rd, 2018 - 10:10 am +1@EM
Apr 23rd, 2018 - 07:31 pm +1Interpreting and believing what you want, AGAIN ???
First of all, it was NOT the Supreme Court that threw Lula in jail......it was the lower court and the appellate court....the HC request which Lula's lawyers submitted to the STF was to try to prevent his going to jail, NOT to change the previous verdict, confirmed in two courts.
Might be interesting for you to learn that the defense and the prosecution can only discuss evidence etc, in the two lower courts. That is where the verdict is established. The two superior courts , STJ and STF, can only discuss procedural matters, not the conviction, which makes all this “presumption of innocence” until all appeals to the higher courts are exhausted, so senseless.
But how condescending of you to say “Can't totally blame the man” (???)...so, to believe that the General's comments made any difference to the STF turning down Lula's HC, is to be naive - after Lula presented his HC to the STF , and BEFORE the General made his comment, the result of the HC was virtually already a slam-dunk against Lula...based on the Justices' previous decisions, it was fairly easy to predict the outcome....which ended up being confirmed.
Your last paragragh is too ridiculous to comment on. I mean, “what” do you “really” know about Brazil ? Just a rhetorical question as I know you can't / won't answer.
@DT & EM
Apr 23rd, 2018 - 11:33 pm +1It could perhaps be an empty threat [to some extent at least] since for AGES; the armed forces [+ their families] have been enjoying attractive benefits & privileges, without a single headache - PRACTICALLY, without lifting a lazy finger! So, knowingly, he wouldn't want to adopt headaches; unless the benefits & privileges are under SERIOUS threat [which is doubtful].
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