Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, said that investigations into the acts of vandalism committed against the headquarters of the Three Powers in Brasília are going to the end.| Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

The Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, said this Sunday (22) that the investigations into the acts of vandalism committed against the headquarters of the Three Powers in Brasília are going to the end. Múcio reaffirmed, once again, that the breach of trust motivated the change of command in the Army and said that President Lula (PT) will not forgive “coup attacks” and will not waive the punishment of those responsible for the depredations.

The statements were made in an interview for the Folha de S.Paulo. “Lula will not forgive coup attacks. Investigations are going to the end”, said the minister. “The climate of trust ended and we decided to change the command.”

The new commander of the Army appointed by Lula (PT) is General Tomás Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, who was second on the list of soldiers who could assume the post according to the criterion of seniority. He was the military commander of the Southeast and recently gave a long speech preaching confidence in the outcome of the polls and non-partisan Armed Forces. Shortly after the announcement of the change, the Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, declared that there was a “fracture in a level of trust” to justify Arruda’s dismissal.

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