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Generals' privileges and sergeants' revolt: crisis in the Armed Forces intensifies protests against cuts and inequalities

Written by Anna Alice
Published 28/11/2024 às 23:54
Sergeants denounce cuts and privileges for generals in the Armed Forces. Mobilization in Brasília tries to reverse situation of inequality. (Image: Reproduction/Canva)
Sergeants denounce cuts and privileges for generals in the Armed Forces. Mobilization in Brasília tries to reverse situation of inequality. (Image: Reproduction/Canva)

Sergeants and warrant officers rebel against cuts that deepen inequalities in the Armed Forces. While they face increasing discounts and poor care in military hospitals, generals enjoy luxurious privileges. The crisis exposes internal polarization and mobilizes parliamentarians in Brasília, in an attempt to block measures that affect the rank and file military.

Discontent is exploding among lower-ranking military officers, and the reason is no small matter. As the Armed Forces face a new budget cut proposal, a chasm of privileges between sergeants and generals is coming into focus.

Behind the scenes, indignant voices denounce absurd disparities, from increasing salary deductions to precarious conditions in military hospitals. But, after all, why are so many people mobilizing now?

On Tuesday (26), a group of sub-lieutenants and sergeants met with deputies in Brasília to discuss what they consider a direct attack on the hierarchical bases of the Armed Forces.

Among the agendas, the following stood out: budget cuts that mainly impact soldiers and pensioners, as well as the excessive privileges granted to high-ranking officials.

Cuts and dissatisfaction

Since the end of Dilma Rousseff's government, low-ranking military personnel have faced stagnant salaries.

Now, the proposal for new discounts for the Armed Forces' health funds adds more weight to the financial difficulties faced by this class.

Sergeants and corporals report that the increase in these discounts comes at a delicate time. As reported by an interviewed non-commissioned officer, the generals, on the other hand, seem untouchable., with access to luxury health plans and exclusive hospital accommodations.

“The care provided is a completely different reality for lower-ranking officers. We have to wait hours for consultations while generals enjoy five-star comfort in the same hospitals,” criticized non-commissioned officer Wagner Coelho, in an interview with the press.

Military hospital or SUS?

Problems in Armed Forces hospitals also generate outrage. According to complaints registered on Reclame Aqui, patients seeking care at the Marcílio Dias Naval Hospital (HNMD), in Rio de Janeiro, faced waits of up to seven hours in the emergency room. Others reported the absence of doctors and the lack of vacancies for consultations.

In online comments, indignation is expressed in phrases such as: “It took me seven hours to be seen at HNMD. At UPA, with the same situation, I waited 30 minutes.”

Another soldier even questioned whether it is possible to give up military assistance and only resort to the SUS or private plans.

The list of complaints on the Reclame Aqui portal is long: exams delivered late, difficulty scheduling appointments and, mainly, reports of a lack of response to complaints.

An unequal health system

For many, the hospital situation is a reflection of greater inequality. Warrant officers and sergeants complain about a system that privileges senior officers with “VIP services”, while the base suffers from neglect.

Structural reforms in 2019 deepened this gap, according to analysts interviewed for the report. The restructuring plan increased benefits for general officers, while lower-ranking officers were left aside.

“Spending cuts always fall on us, soldiers and pensioners. And they still want us to be disunited, trapped by the ideologies imposed on Brazil,” complained Wagner Coelho.

Parliamentary mobilization

In the National Congress, the military delegation tries to reverse the situation. Deputies from the public security bench, including deputy Sargento Portugal (Podemos – RJ), expressed support for the category.

In a recent session, Sergeant Portugal stressed that “military spending is not an expense, but an investment” and promised to fight against the cuts.

He also warned of the need to guarantee minimum conditions for those who maintain national security.

The category's mobilization takes place in a scenario of growing political polarization, where debates about privileges, rights and cuts further heighten tensions.

Internal conflicts and calls for unity

Despite attempts at mobilization, Petty Officer Wagner Coelho points out that ideological conflicts within the Armed Forces themselves are harming the collective struggle. “We need to overcome these divisions to face together the challenges that affect us,” he said.

Furthermore, military personnel interviewed by the report emphasize that, Without unity, it will be difficult to block measures that deepen inequalities.

The situation exposes not only an internal problem of Armed forces, but also an issue that reflects the complex political and economic reality of Brazil.

What do you think about this inequality within the Armed Forces?

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Anna Alice

Copywriter and content analyst. She has been writing for the website Click Petróleo e Gás (CPG) since 2024 and specializes in creating texts on diverse topics such as the economy, jobs and the military.

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