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Brazilian military caution Bolsonaro on the extreme views of the influential “Trotsky of the right”

Wednesday, May 8th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Full article 52 comments
Retired General Villas Bôas is now an adviser to General Augusto Heleno in the Brazilian Army Institutional Security Office Retired General Villas Bôas is now an adviser to General Augusto Heleno in the Brazilian Army Institutional Security Office

The growing differences between members of the military and the so-called ideological faction of Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro’s government prompted a reaction from a retired Army High Commander--Eduardo Villas Bôas—who considers the president to be absent in the dispute and wants to limit what he sees as institutional disrespect.

The most respected general in the army reserve said this at a time when active officials cannot publicly protest. 

“Once again Olavo de Carvalho, from his existential emptiness attacks the military and the Armed Forces, demonstrating total lack of basic principles of education, of respect and a minimum show of humility and modesty,” he wrote. 

Olavo is a “true Trotsky of the right,” does not understand that replacing one ideology with another does not contribute to create concrete solutions to Brazilian problems,” said the respected four stars general

Villas Bôas is now an adviser to army reserves general Augusto Heleno in the Institutional Security Office, and his letter reflects what the majority of the Army's High Command, the most important Brazilian military group, thinks.

The group had a routine administrative meeting on Monday, when the current situation was debated.

The current chapter of the dispute revolves around Olavo's criticisms of General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, the chief minister of the Secretariat of Government and responsible for Secom (Secretariat of Communication).

Olavo has criticized Santos for weeks. Olavo has become the main influence on Carlos and Eduardo, the most vocal children of Bolsonaro, and a group in the administration which includes the controversial ministers of Foreign affairs and Education.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Top Comments

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  • DemonTree

    Wow. Sounds like a pretty serious disagreement in the top ranks, and the army are the voice of moderation...

    May 08th, 2019 - 10:05 am 0
  • Jack Bauer

    I have been accompanying this ongoing disagreement between allies, for several weeks now....Looks like it's Olavo de Carvalho and Bolsonaro's two outspoken sons, against the Generals in government....and Bolsonaro in between.

    Seems that OC, who defines himself as extreme right - whom I 'used to' think was a relatively well-intentioned advisor, and whom is now being too damned radical - believes that B and the other ex-members of the military in govt, aren't enough to the right.....B's two sons support OC, while the generals would like to see the three of them shut up, as everytime one of them opens their mouth, the shit lands on the president.

    The Generals have apparently decided to not encourage this ridiculous battle being fought on social networks (mainly twitter) and have said they will not allow themselves to get further entangled in it......which, if it continues, will only harm the president.
    While Bolsonaro, who would like to see both sides back down, the military believe he should tell his sons and OC to not interfere.
    But what has become evident, is that the military, once again, have shown that they are the moderating power.

    May 08th, 2019 - 08:43 pm 0
  • DemonTree

    I'm slightly amazed B has managed to find an adviser who's not only too far right for the military, but who one of them even described as equivalent to Trotsky. But this time I agree. Bolsonaro should tell OC and his sons to stop interfering. I read up about OC, and according to Wikipedia he has all kinds of nutty ideas, just the sort of person you want advising a president... NOT.

    Have a look what he says about Newton, this is what happens when philosophers deal with subjects they don't fully understand:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20190102193451/http://www.olavodecarvalho.org/nas-origens-da-burrice-ocidental/

    May 08th, 2019 - 09:30 pm 0
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