Múcio says there is a phobia of GLO operations after January 8 – 05/17/2023 – Politics

The Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, said this Wednesday (17) that whoever wants to carry out a coup does not need a Constitution or a law.

The holder of the portfolio referred to the mistaken interpretation of article 142 of the Federal Constitution and the fear –even by PT members, despite not mentioning them– of the use of GLO (Guarantee of Law and Order) operations by the Armed Forces to possible military intervention.

“Evidently, talking about GLO to [dar] coup, I am of the thesis that whoever wants to carry out a coup does not need a law, nor a Constitution, nor a rule. Anyone who wants to strike is an offender, on whatever side he may be,” said the minister.

“This 142 discussion, the GLO discussion will be discussed here, it has to be exhausted. Just what I wanted to plead with you here is that there be an explanation of what it means, what it has done to the country. Where is it wrong , where we can fix it,” he added.

The statement was given during a public hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and National Defense of the Chamber of Deputies.

The commanders of the three Forces also participated in the meeting: General Tomás Paiva, from the Army; Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, of the Navy; and Lieutenant Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, from the Air Force.

Parliamentarians discuss in Congress a change in article 142 and the end of GLO operations by the Armed Forces. Federal deputy Carlos Zarattini (PT-SP), who is part of the commission, wrote a PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) that seeks to remove the possibility for the Armed Forces to participate in these operations, which need to be authorized by one of the Powers.

In his speech, Minister Múcio pointed out that, from 1992 to 2022, 145 GLOs were applied in the country and spoke of fears with this type of operation after the coup attacks on January 8.

“GLO was placed in the Federal Constitution of 1988. It was created, after the 8th [de janeiro], a phobia with the GLO issue. From 1992 to 2022, 145 GLOs were applied in Brazil”, he said, citing the Olympics as an example.

President Lula himself was even advised to call a GLO after the January 8 attacks on the headquarters of the three Powers, but he rejected it.

“When they did GLO in Rio de Janeiro, Pezão, who was governor, became Queen of England. I had just been elected President of the Republic. The important thing is that I was elected President of the Republic of that country. And I was not going to give up to fulfill my duties and exercise power in its fullness”, said the PT, in an interview with GloboNews, on January 18.

Federal Deputy Ricardo Salles (PL-SP), former Minister of the Environment under Jair Bolsonaro, was the first to criticize the GLOs and Article 142 during this Wednesday’s hearing. He complained about the operations that took place in the Amazon during his term, which, he said, had little effect and cost a lot. “Theater of war,” he said.

Then, deputy Marcel Van Hatten (Novo-RS), author of the invitation request to the military, questioned about alleged corruption of the Armed Forces, under the Lula administration, to whom he opposes.

The Army commander replied that he is the commander of the past, present and future, of the force, and defended his predecessor General Júlio César Arruda, dismissed in the first crisis of the PT government.

He said that he transmitted the guidelines that already came from Arruda himself, to defend a non-partisan, impartial and committed Force with the nation.

“The Armed Forces are not corrupted, they fulfill their constitutional mission,” he said.