The (re)Militarization of the Brazilian Defense Ministry (2016-2021)

Abstract

In this paper, we seek discuss whether the measures provided for in the different legal diplomas that structure the Ministry of Defense represent the exercise of civilian control over the area or, on the contrary, configure another example of military success in maintaining, and even development of military autonomy. For this, a quantitative analysis of the current human resources of the five administrative units and of the six companies linked to the Ministry was carried out. We sought to understand the profile of Ministry employees, analyzing their hiring method, whether they are civil or military and, if military, whether they belong to active duty or reserve, their original singular force, position/commissioned function held and rank. Different data lead to the conclusion that the Ministry of Defense is far from being a civilian body for formulating defense policy and exercising civilian authority over its operators, the armed forces. The Ministry has always been militarized, a profile that the Bolsonaro government accentuated.