Brazil’s Defense and Armed Forces chiefs repudiate statements by Covid CPI chair

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Minister of Defense Walter Braga Netto and the commanders of the Armed Forces in a communiqué released Wednesday evening (7) repudiated statements made by the Senate Covid CPI’s (investigative committee) president Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), for considering that they disrespect the military and generalize “corruption schemes.”

During the testimony of Ministry of Health’s ex-director of Logistics Roberto Dias, accused of involvement in a kickback scheme in procurement of vaccines against Covid-19 that would have included members of the Armed Forces, CPI president said that the “rotten side of the Armed Forces would be involved in scams within the government.”

“This narrative, far removed from the facts, hits the Armed Forces in a vile and frivolous way, being a serious, unfounded and, above all, irresponsible accusation,” reads the note signed by the Minister of Defense and the commanders of the Armed Forces.

“The Brazilian Navy, Army, and Air Force are institutions that belong to the Brazilian people and that enjoy a high degree of credibility within society, earned over the centuries,” the statement read.

The Minister and commanders also state that the Armed Forces are aware of their “key role in the country’s stability” and that they are guided by the “faithful observance of the Law,” by “balance” and “ponderation.”

“The Armed Forces will not accept any light-hearted attack on the institutions that defend democracy and the freedom of the Brazilian people,” the note concludes.

Earlier in the day, during the CPI meeting where Dias was giving his testimony, Aziz said that “the Armed Forces, the good people in the Armed Forces should be very ashamed of some who made the news today, because it had been a long time, many years, since Brazil had seen members of the rotten side of the Armed Forces involved in scams within the government.”

Shortly before closing the CPI session, Omar ordered the arrest of Roberto Dias, a decision that caused a stir in Congress.

Chamber of Deputies president Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG) paid homage and said he respects the Armed Forces.

Later, Aziz said that his comments were “particular” and not “generalized”, in a reference to Dias who is an ex-Air Force sergeant and to other members of the ministry possibly involved in the purported scheme of irregularities.

The senator considered the Defense note “disproportionate” and called on Pacheco to be more incisive in defending a senator.

“You can issue 50 communiqués against me, just don’t intimidate me,” Omar said. “I don’t accept intimidation of a senator of the Republic,” he said.