Generals prevent Mandetta's dismissal.

By Alex Solnik, for the Journalists for Democracy

"His time hasn't come yet... his time will come." The phrase uttered by Bolsonaro yesterday seemed to have materialized sooner than expected. After having lunch today at the Planalto Palace with Osmar Terra, the president did what he seemed powerless to do: he ordered Mandetta to quarantine at home, as reported in the digital version of O Globo. 

Today, Terra published an article in “Folha” defending vertical isolation, Bolsonaro's leitmotif in recent days. Bolsonaro, it seemed, felt confident enough to dismiss the most popular minister in his government, which brought him no benefit whatsoever, quite the opposite – as I wrote a little while ago, informed that he had already fallen. Minutes later, the word was taken back: Bolsonaro reversed his decision, pressured by his generals. 

The pots and pans also started banging. I don't know if Mandetta will feel there's a climate to continue, because he knows that Bolsonaro doesn't usually give up on his goals and that any stumble on his part could be used to bring him down. The episode served to show that the generals have the final say regarding the captain's decisions.