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LatinNews Daily - 21 February 2018

Brazil’s congress approves military intervention in Rio de Janeiro

Development: On 21 February, congress approved a decree putting the military in charge of state security operations to combat crime in Rio de Janeiro.

Significance: The military took over Rio de Janeiro’s state police last week, but the presidential decree still needed approval from the federal congress. The senate passed the security measures by 55 votes to 33, following a green-light from the chamber of deputies. Despite its smooth passage through congress, senators still voiced reservations about the emergency measures in the absence of an overarching national security strategy.

  • Senators questioned the high cost of military intervention in Rio de Janeiro. To fund this, the government led by President Michel Temer could be forced to make cuts in other areas, reducing the armed forces’ presence elsewhere.
  • To address these concerns, the finance minister, Henrique Meirelles, said his team of economists would consult with the defence ministry, led by Raul Jungmann, before making any changes to the security budget. In an interview with news site G1, Meirelles said he would work with the armed forces to discuss whether they needed extra resources from the federal government such as fuel or arms.
  • Members of the opposition criticised the decision to prioritise security in Rio de Janeiro over other, more violent, states. “[The North-Eastern state of] Ceará has a high level of violence which is greater than Rio de Janeiro. What will they do there? Another intervention?” asked Gleisi Hoffman, leader of the leftist Partido dos Trabalhadores.
  • But the military’s work in Rio has already begun. On 20 February, the army led by General Walter Souza Braga Netto coordinated their first operation since taking control of the state. This culminated in the arrest of 11 people, and security forces seized six firearms and six grenades.

Looking Ahead: In a country where the memory of Brazil’s dictatorship is still recent, human rights groups are concerned that giving the military so much power could lead to abuses. They are particularly concerned about a clause allowing the military to conduct search and arrest warrants, giving them a carte blanche to break into people’s homes.

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