I'm John Bachelord with Ernesto Arucio, former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Brazil,

and Joseph Omar, the Executive Director of Secure Frey Society, host of the Western

Hemisphere Security Forum, very successful in Washington and DC these last days.

One of the things that happens while Joseph hosted me and others at this meeting as news

went on, and one of the pieces of news I start with right away is to what does it mean

Ernesto, the new president who was the former president of Brazil, Lula de Silva, dismissed

the leader of the Brazilian army, associating him with the riot festive nature of a riot

of an empty building in Brazil. Did this dismissal cause rupture in the Brazilian military?

Is it a blow to the morale? What is your measure?

It is a big blow to the military. Apparently there was already a lot of division

inside the army, especially in Brazil. Probably most of the military from the level of

Colonel down were in favor of a constitutional intervention or constitutional

action ordered by President Bolsonaro in the last days of the government in order to

establish a constitutional order which in the view of many people was under threat

by actions of the Supreme Court and others. So this is going to increase that. The commander

of the army that was dismissed was already chosen basically by Lula. I mean he took office a few

days before the transition of government but from what we hear his name was invented by the Lula team.

So then of course we had the events of January the 8th and the impression that the army didn't

do it enough to avoid the protests and all that happened. So but basically I think this is a

demonstration of power. Lula wants to show that he's in charge that the military shouldn't

really submit to him and to his government. Joseph Bolivia the headline there is

threatening. Bolivia judge rules opposition governor must remain detained ahead of trial.

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