ABSTRACT
Brazil was under military rule between 1964 and 1985, and between 1985 and 1990, during the presidency of Jose Sarney, the military remained a powerful behind-the-scenes presence in Brazilian political affairs. In 1989, as Samey’s term drew to a close, Brazil, like Argentina, began to produce uranium enriched to 20 percent that was free from international non-proliferation controls, effectively demonstrating the potential to manufacture weapons-grade nuclear material. The parallel program has been directed by various branches of the Brazilian military and the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), Brazil’s agency for nuclear research and development. The CNEN was to report to a new Supreme Council on Nuclear Policy composed of representatives from nineteen ministries, including each of the armed services, and non-governmental appointees. Motivated by an intense nationalism, the desire for regional pre-eminence, and concerns over the nuclear advances of Argentina, Brazil has for many years pursued a sizeable nuclear program with ambiguous objectives.
