Podcast: the military’s image crisis – Folha – 08/22/2023 – Podcasts

The list of soldiers of various ranks investigated on suspicion of corruption and misdeeds during the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) has caused damage to the Army’s image. After scandals in recent days, when more officers were implicated in the case of jewelry sent as a gift to the former president, the commander of the Force, General Tomás Paiva, sent an internal order with measures that try to distance the institution from cases of illegality.

The embezzlement of jewels is not the only suspicion that puts the military in the crosshairs of the Federal Police. They are also being investigated for coup initiatives, including the January 8 attacks.

According to a Genial/Quaest survey, the Armed Forces were the only Brazilian institution with a significant decline in the population’s confidence indices. The survey showed a drop from 43% to 33%, between December 2022 and August 2023, in the percentage of Brazilians who say they “trust a lot” in the military. The reduction is more pronounced among Jair Bolsonaro voters – it dropped from 61% to 40%.

In addition to facing the external wear on the image, the commander has been leading an internal effort to “strengthen cohesion” and value the “military family”. Measures such as salary increases should be proposed with a focus on privates and non-commissioned officers, to raise the spirits of low-ranking soldiers.

This Tuesday’s episode (22) of Café da Manhã discusses the crisis in the image of the Armed Forces, explains the Army’s strategies to improve people’s perception of the military and analyzes the internal and external challenges that the institution faces. The podcast interviews Cézar Feitosa, a reporter for Sheet in Brasilia.

The audio program is published on Spotify, streaming service partner of Sheet in the initiative and which specializes in music, podcast and video. You can listen to the episode by clicking above. To access the application, just register for free.

Breakfast is published from Monday to Friday, always at the beginning of the day. The episode is presented by journalists Gabriela Mayer and Magê Flores, with production by Laila Mouallem and Victor Lacombe. Sound editing is by Thomé Granemann.