The relationship between General Arruda (photo) and Lula was weakened after acts of vandalism on the 8th. Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva will be the new commander| Photograph:

President Lula (PT) decided to exonerate Army commander General Júlio Cesar de Arruda. With the decision, communicated to the military this Saturday (21), the commander leaves office just 22 days after being appointed.

Arruma had assumed command of the Army on an interim basis on December 30, still in the Bolsonaro administration, after an agreement between the current Defense Minister in the Lula government, José Múcio Monteiro, and the previous holder of the portfolio, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira.

After the attacks on the buildings of the Three Powers, on the 8th, the relationship between Lula and the general became fragile. One of the reasons was that Arruda would have prevented military police from the Federal District from entering the camp set up by demonstrators in front of the Army Headquarters after the acts of vandalism.

The new commander of the Army will be General Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, who was second on the list of soldiers who could become commanders in the Lula government according to the criterion of seniority.