The infallible rule of the military

The rule is practically infallible; it rarely fails.

It is empirically demonstrable that one almost always finds the fingerprints of the military, or at least some member of the military, involved in the vast majority of illicit and improper acts; influence peddling, embezzlement and corruption; cronyism, negligence, omission, incompetence; and all sorts of shady dealings during the Bolsonaro/Mourão period in government.

And, since the example comes from the top, as a rule the main people involved are high-ranking military officers; from the top brass of the Armed Forces.

At the top of the criminal chain are, obviously, The constant attacks on democracy and the successive coup attempts, culminating in the events of January 8th., designed and prepared in the area of ​​the Army HQ in Brasília.

The inventory of types of crime is extensive and multi-faceted. It's still unknown where the bottom of the precipice into which Brazil has been thrown lies. With each passing day, with each new scandal uncovered, it seems the precipice is infinite; it seems to have no firm bottom.

With the little that is already known, however, it is necessary to acknowledge the criminal efficiency of those in uniform. In just four years of disastrous management, they practically reviewed a large part of the articles of the Brazilian Penal Code, which covers a wide range of illegal acts:

– From the disposal of expired vaccines to the genocide of the Yanomami people; from bribes in gold bars, Bibles, jewelry, and diamonds, to inexplicable – and, moreover, overpriced – purchases of Viagra, fine drinks, and boutique meats for military barracks; from the devastation of the Amazon with the expansion of organized crime in the region, to international cocaine trafficking on a plane from the FAB's presidential fleet; from targeted privatizations and the dismantling of FUNAI and Petrobras to the expansion of CACs (Collectors, Shooters, and Hunters) and facilitating access for organized crime to heavy weaponry; from political-partisan activism and insubordination to double and extra-ceiling salaries, privileged pensions, perks, and privileges; from state apparatus to multi-million dollar contracts without bidding, etc., etc.

To this incomplete and constantly updated list, we must add the two mega-scandals of the military government, revealed in recent days: the jewels and diamonds scandal, and the system scandal. political espionage by ABIN.

In the case of the "Arabian bribe," Admiral Bento Albuquerque's explanatory juggling act in trying to explain the inexplicable is laughable. The admiral, the highest-ranking officer in the Brazilian Navy, claims to be unaware of the contents of the "gift" he brought hidden in his luggage, without declaring it to customs, and which he concealed for almost a year.

The creative explanations offered by the Army generals implicated in the criminal system of political espionage through ABIN are still unknown. However, it is already known that they are at the origin of the notorious process. The clandestine mechanism was purchased without bidding at the end of 2018 by the GSI/ABIN under the command of General Sérgio Etchegoyen; and remained in operation until mid-2021, in the GSI/ABIN commanded by General Augusto Heleno.

Another general, the indefatigable Santos Cruz, also has his fingerprints on the scandal. His son, Caio Cruz, represented the Israeli company in Brazil. Cognite [ex-Verint], provider of the spying tool called FirstMile.

In June 2019, General Santos Cruz participated in a confidential meeting at Army Headquarters when the FirstMile "He was introduced to seven generals.It is still unknown who introduced the Israeli system: whether it was the company's representative in Brazil [the general's son], or someone else.

What is certain in all of this is that the involvement of the Army command in espionage signifies the re-establishment of a system modeled after the SNI (National Information Service) of the military dictatorship, which is typical of police state, fascist regimes.

The military nurtured a long-term project of power, believing in the eternity of the military government elected at the polls with Bolsonaro. They believed in eternal impunity, which is why they decreed secrecy orders lasting up to 100 years, so that they would remain unscathed for all eternity.

It is very sad to see the systemic, deep, and entrenched involvement of members of the Armed Forces in illicit activities, corruption, and illegalities.

Delinquents in uniform are terrible public servants; they resemble... uniformed militias Officials, supported with money from the Brazilian people. That is why they dishonor the Brazilian Armed Forces.