ABSTRACT
Political developments in 2018 marked the Brazilian armed forces’ explicit return to the political scene. With the surprising election of Bolsonaro, a far-right politician—the curtain was brought down on the New Republic, after 34 years of existence (1985–2018). The politically liberal and culturally progressive discourse, characteristic of the restoration of democracy and the New Republic, has been replaced by another agenda, not only conservative but potentially authoritarian. This marked the beginning of a new phase of political influence for the military in Brazil. To explain this, the chapter explores the survival of a ‘covert’ anti-communist collective memory, exacerbated by a more recent criticism against left-wing political correctness within the so-called military family and among the active top brass of the armed forces. With the emergence of Bolsonaro’s presidential ambitions amidst social, political and ideological polarisation, the seasoned phenomenon of the ‘military party’ began to take shape: a political force that acted as if it were a political party, bringing together retired and active servicemen around the same ideological base and corporate interests, in addition to adopting an internal hierarchy, discipline and political strategies to achieve its objectives. The ‘military party’ came to power following the victory of the Bolsonaro–Mourão ticket in October 2018. The Pandora’s box has been opened. The military’s involvement in Brazilian politics now poses a huge risk.
