Lula welcomes 56 new officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The ceremony took place at the Palácio do Planalto, unlike in recent years when it was held at military clubs.
247 - On Tuesday (4), the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, held a ceremony to congratulate newly promoted general officers. Although it is a tradition, the event marks a moment of rapprochement between Lula and the commanders of the Armed Forces, after a turbulent period in which the military became involved in politics during the government of Jair Bolsonaro.
At the Planalto Palace, Lula received 56 new officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, a change from previous years when the ceremony took place at military clubs. This was the first of a series of events that the Army is preparing for this month, with the expectation that Lula will participate in some of them. On April 19th, Army Day, the president is expected to participate in the commemoration, and a lunch with the generals of the High Command of the Force is also planned for this month.
During the government transition, there was concern among the military that Lula would change the criteria for promoting officers, an idea that gained traction within the PT (Workers' Party) in 2016. However, Lula made it clear through intermediaries that his goal is to depoliticize the Armed Forces and seek closer ties through increased investment in strategic defense projects.