Armed Forces are the target of conspiracy theories on networks – 03/04/2024 – Frequently Forwarded

In the electoral process, candidates from all over the country try to convince the population that they are the best representatives for the position in dispute. Using the titles they hold and mentioning the institutions they belong to facilitates the process, since there is a set of implicit values ​​that can resonate with the electorate.

When candidacies make use of the credibility of institutions in the political field, they create a dangerous situation, as any mistake made by the individual can affect the image of the institution to which they belong or make use. This is even worse when the scenario is polarized, since the capture of the image of an institution by one of the poles will create resistance on the opposite side.

In September 2023, a survey carried out by Datafolha showed a drop in confidence in the Armed Forces, despite leading when compared to ten other institutions listed by the institute — it is the lowest index since the historical series began in 2017.

In the more than 50,000 public WhatsApp and Telegram groups analyzed by Palver, it is possible to see how the use of institutions in the political field creates cracks in credibility and awakens feelings that are foreign to the organization’s purpose.

In left-wing groups, the Armed Forces are called coup plotters and receive a lot of criticism related to impunity among their members.

One of the messages shared, whose title is “Talking about 64 is not rehashing the past, it is discussing the future”, contains a long discussion about “the adaptation of the barracks to democracy and the subordination of the military to civil power”. Still talking about the Armed Forces, one of the messages contains the following phrase: “enough of rubbing shoulders with these people”.

Irony is one of the main devices used by users in left-wing groups. Discussions about amnesty, for example, evoke a series of arguments against the proposal, partly in a sarcastic tone, partly calling for justice. The longer messages reflect on the payment of pensions to military daughters, in addition to other privileges.

In right-wing groups, one of the messages sent contains a text attacking the institutions of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) and TSE (Superior Electoral Court), part of the media and the Armed Forces.

The video that accompanies the message features excerpts from the film “A Bug’s Life”, making an analogy between grasshoppers and ants with those in power and the Brazilian people.

Many other messages use this analogy in different contexts, some specifying that 220 million Brazilians are afraid of 11 locusts, the same number as STF ministers.

Since the demonstration called by former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) on February 25, messages with coup content have returned to circulating in groups. In one of them, which was widely publicized, the title used was “Decree”, followed by “Attention Patriots”.

In the message, there is a whole narrative of what the next steps of the so-called “intervention” would be, which would culminate in Bolsonaro’s diplomacy as president of the Republic, banning communist and radical left parties, among other measures.

The messages sent mention institutions such as the Armed Forces, Federal Police and Superior Military Court. In the long text, there is an explanation of how the troop commanders would be informed about the plan and that, at the right time, they would disobey the generals linked to the PT, who would be promptly replaced by others linked to generals Villas Bôas and Heleno.

Users mention the Armed Forces, sometimes with the hope that they will still participate in an action to reverse the election results, or with contempt, receiving the nickname “traitors to the country” or “cowards”.

Other videos, also circulated over the past week, accuse the Armed Forces of having armed the 8th of January and say that they had vandalized the buildings before the arrival of the “patriots”.

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