Change in the Army may result in new layoffs – 01/22/2023 – Politics

The decision of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to change the command of the Army, removing General Júlio César de Arruda from office, should lead to new changes in strategic positions in the Force. Some because of the PT’s dissatisfaction, others because of natural changes with the changes in command.

The decisions, however, will be taken in conversations between the president, the Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, and the new commander of the Army, Tomás Paiva.

One of the changes considered certain is with Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid. Assistant to former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), the military was appointed last year to command the 1st Command Action Battalion, in Goiânia, as revealed by the Sheet.

Cid’s departure from Brasilia took place in an agreement between the Army and the Planalto Palace, while investigations against the lieutenant colonel in the PF (Federal Police) advanced. Assuming a position of command, according to soldiers interviewed by the Sheetit was a natural process given the rank he had reached —Cid was promoted from major to lieutenant colonel during the Bolsonaro administration.

Mauro Cid’s situation was considered the last straw for Arruda’s downfall. According to people close to him, Lula wanted the lieutenant colonel removed from the command post while investigations into suspicious transactions made by him, with resources from Bolsonaro’s family, were in the Federal Police’s sights, as revealed by the Federal Police. Sheet.

Arruda, however, resisted the change. According to Lula’s allies, the general’s attitude in this case was decisive for the change in command of the Army.

The maintenance of General Gustavo Henrique Dutra in the position of Military Commander of the Planalto also started to be discussed. A three-star general from the Special Forces, Dutra is considered a skilled military man in the Force with a high chance of receiving the fourth star on his shoulder in 2024.

In the last two months, he has defended a gradual withdrawal from the camp in front of the Army HQ, in Brasília, without any conflict or violence against the supporters of a military coup that were in the place.

Although the strategy was endorsed by Múcio, the delay in dismantling the coup camp is considered by Planalto to be one of the main reasons why the attacks against the headquarters of the three Powers were made possible, on January 8th.

The position adopted by Dutra along with Arruda to prevent the Military Police from arresting the coup leaders on the night of the attack on the Powers also weighs heavily. Such as Sheet As shown, the intervenor Paulo Cappelli wanted to dismantle the Bolsonarist camp after the invasion of public buildings, but was stopped by the military, who defended a coordinated action in the morning of the next day.

Lieutenant Colonel Paulo Jorge Fernandes da Hora, head of the Presidential Guard Battalion, could also lose his post. He has been accused of making it difficult for coup plotters to be arrested inside the Planalto Palace.

A police-military inquiry was opened to investigate Fernandes’ conduct. To allies he has stated that he did not act to protect the coup plotters. The version in the barracks is that the military police acted more aggressively in Planalto because a colleague, who was policing on horseback, had been attacked moments before.

According to this version, the lieutenant colonel would have discussed with the police, as videos show, to contain the momentum and avoid aggression when the coup plotters were already under control.

In addition to the three, the last change that should occur is the departure of General Valério Stumpf Trindade. He and Tomás Paiva rose to the rank of General of the Army together in July 2019 and, according to military rules, the commander of the Force cannot have any senior soldier among his subordinates.

Stumpf is the current Chief of Staff of the Army, a position considered number 2 in the Force. The position of head of the Southeast Military Command, until then commanded by Tomás, will also remain open.

With the change, new changes must be made in positions at the top of the Army to avoid a shortage in the leadership position. The role on the General Staff is usually assumed by one of the most senior general officers in the Force.

The resignation of Júlio César de Arruda was confirmed this Saturday (21) by Múcio, after the minister formally presented the new commander Tomás Paiva to President Lula.

“Obviously, with these last episodes, the question of the camps, the question of [ataque] On January 8, relations at the command of the Army suffered a fracture in the level of trust. We thought we could stop this right at the beginning”, said Múcio in a brief speech to journalists at the Planalto Palace.

---

Soldiers who must change ranks with the new command

Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid
Deputy former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), he is in the sights of Lula and the PT. Commands 1⁰ Command Action Battalion, in Goiânia (GO)

General Gustavo Henrique Dutra
He defended a gradual emptying of the coup camps, which today is seen as a big mistake by the government. He is the Military Commander of the Plateau

Lieutenant Colonel Paulo Jorge Fernandes da Hora
He has been accused of making it difficult for coup plotters to be arrested inside the Planalto Palace; an inquiry was opened to investigate his conduct. Head of the Presidential Guard Battalion

General Valerio Stumpf Trindade
He and Tomás Paiva rose to the rank of General of the Army together in July 2019 and, according to military rules, the commander of the Force cannot have any senior soldier among his subordinates. He is the current Chief of Staff of the Army, a position considered number 2 in the Force.