The army is not the police

Conectas expresses concern over the presidential decree authorizing the use of the Armed Forces to provide public security services in the state of Rio de Janeiro

Conectas is concerned about the presidential decree that authorizes the use of the Armed Forces to provide public security services in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

The alarming number of deaths resulting from police operations, the shocking number of killings of public security agents and the high murder rates, particularly in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, demonstrate the complete failure of the current model of public security.

However, this serious crisis cannot be resolved by espousing an ideology of war. The regrettable situation currently faced by the state of Rio de Janeiro requires an urgent debate with society with a view to radically changing the structure of public security and the militarized model of policing.

Besides being trained and armed for very specific situations, the members of the Armed Forces have their own code of discipline, are answerable to their own criminal law (Military Criminal Code) and are tried by their own military courts, all elements based on the logic of war.

The argument used in the decree that the Armed Forces are needed to guarantee “law and order” is reminiscent of darker times in Brazilian history. We condemn any attempt by the federal government to regard Brazilian citizens as a threat that justifies military intervention of this nature.