By Bianca Oliveira
SAO PAULO – In order to avoid the worsening of the crisis triggered by the exchange of the Minister of Defense, General Fernando Azevedo e Silva, and the consequent resignation of the commanders of the army, navy and aeronautics, President Jair Bolsonaro chose for the command of the Armed Forces general officers with complementary profiles, respecting a precious criterion to the military, that of antiquity. The announcement of the new names was made by the current Minister of Defense, General Walter Braga Netto, on the night of Tuesday (31). The command of the Army will be in charge of General Paulo Sergio Nogueira; for the Navy the chosen was the Admiral of Squadron Almir Garnier Santos; and finally, Lieutenant Brigadier Baptista Júnior is the new commander of the Air Force. In announcing his departure, Azevedo e Silva said he “preserved the Armed Forces as state institutions“, reinforcing a resistance to the adoption of a political position demanded by the president. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Bolsonaro sometimes called for support from the military wing in actions to combat measures to restrict movement imposed by governors. Despite a change in Bolsonaro’s tone in relation to vaccines, the president continues to criticize isolation measures, which have less popular support and can have a negative effect on the economy, which hinders his re-election plans. In times of crisis, Bolsonaro often evokes the possibility of triggering the support of the Armed Forces, a way to captivate a loyal base of supporters who advocate military intervention. The integration of the military into the government has been increasing in recent years, the number of members of the three Forces in commissioned positions has increased by 33% in the current management. Already under pressure by the National Congress and economic sectors due to the lack of control of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil, the decision of collective resignation of the three commanders further deepens the crisis of the current government. In an attempt to minimize wear and tear,