At an event promoted by the (Supreme Federal Court) in memory of the attacks of January 8, 2023, the minister spoke critically about the Army’s omission that allowed the installation of coup camps in front of its barracks two years ago.
“There was inertia, there was a failure to allow camps to be set up in front of the barracks asking for intervention, calling for a coup. This is a crime. And today no one can say they don’t know about this, these are crimes of incitement, of criminal organization for being at the head of barracks,” he said.
It was from the camp set up in front of the Army HQ in Brasília that the Bolsonarists who vandalized the buildings of the three Powers two years ago came out.
According to Moraes, there was no democratic manifestation in those acts. This is because those involved themselves reported that the order was to wait for the Armed Forces to be summoned to carry out a coup d’état.
The minister said that, after speeches and coup attacks throughout 2022, he imagined that the country would have overcome the coup with the inauguration of () on January 1, 2023. This proved to be a mistake.
“We all thought that the coup had been defeated. We were wrong, because it was not defeated and is not defeated. It was not defeated on January 8th, this was demonstrated. There are already criminal actions against the leadership of the Military Police of the District Federal, against high civil authorities.”
The minister also called the PRF () negligent when citing the episode in which, on the day of the second round of the 2022 election, still under the government of (), Lula’s voters’ body. Former general director of the organization, he stayed for almost a year for an alleged attempt to interfere in the election.
In his speech, Moraes also stated that it was important to reaffirm the need to consider military participation in politics.
Earlier, at the Palácio do Planalto, the Minister of Defense, José Múcio, said that he awaits the end of the Federal Police investigations into the alleged coup attempt in 2022 to punish the guilty and, on the other hand, eliminate suspicions about innocent people.
The statement was made after the ceremony that marked the headquarters of the three Powers on January 8, 2023. The entire event was marked by demonstrations such as shouts of “no amnesty”.
“Things are as peaceful as possible. It’s the most peaceful ministry you can imagine. Our spirit is to collaborate. Our greatest celebration is when this investigation ends and the guilty are punished, when this cloud of suspicion lifts from the innocents” , he told journalists.
At the end of last year, the PF indicted the former president and others in the case. Among these, there were generals, such as former minister Walter Braga Netto. The fact generated uneasiness among military personnel, who sought to distance themselves from the investigations.
Last December, the PF arrested him on suspicion of interfering in an investigation into a coup plot. The general was the first four-star to be arrested by order of the Judiciary.
This Wednesday, Múcio was accompanied at the event by the commanders of the three Forces — Marcos Olsen (Navy), Tomás Paiva (Army) and Marcelo Damasceno (Air Force). Their presence was nominally thanked by the president in his speech.
“I want to thank Múcio who brought the three commanders to show this country that it is possible for us to build the Armed Forces with the aim of defending national sovereignty”, he stated.
Last year, Lula spoke of “legalist soldiers”, which generated uneasiness in the barracks. This year, it was limited to thanking you for your presence. Before the event, there were fears that inflammatory speeches would inflame tempers in the military, already shaken by the arrest of high-ranking officers.
At the meeting in which he invited his ministers to the event, Lula spoke of the importance of defending democracy and mentioned the arrest of Braga Netto. The president said he was happy to represent action against impunity.
Despite this, government soldiers believe that the malaise has been priced in and the Army commander, Tomás Paiva, is likely to suffer criticism from more radical members of the reserve. Still, the moment of greatest tension was the arrests of the generals last year and the PF report.
