Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Sergeants and Corporals Rebel Against Cuts That Deepen Inequalities in the Armed Forces. While Facing Increasing Deductions and Poor Care in Military Hospitals, Generals Enjoy Luxurious Privileges. The Crisis Exposes Internal Polarization and Mobilizes Parliamentarians in Brasília, in an Attempt to Stop Measures That Affect Base Military.
Discontent is exploding among low-ranking military personnel, and the reason is no small matter. While the Armed Forces face a new budget cut proposal, a chasm of privileges between sergeants and generals is coming to light.
Behind the scenes, outraged voices accuse absurd disparities, from increasing salary deductions to poor conditions in military hospitals. But, after all, why are so many mobilizing now?
On Tuesday (26), a group of corporals and sergeants met with deputies in Brasília to discuss what they consider a direct attack on the hierarchical foundations of the Armed Forces.
-
The U.S. Army receives the first Black Hawk helicopter that can fly without pilots, be controlled by a tablet, and even land on its own during high-risk missions.
-
With 11,000 tons and sensors capable of hunting submarines at long distances, the Type 055 has become one of the most feared floating arsenals of the Chinese navy.
-
With over 15,000 tons, radars capable of tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously, and more than 120 missiles ready for launch in seconds, modern destroyers cease to be escorts and begin to dominate the naval battlefield.
-
With over 15,000 tons, radars capable of tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously, and more than 120 missiles ready for launch in seconds, modern destroyers cease to be escorts and begin to dominate the naval battlefield.
Among the topics, they highlighted the budget cuts that mainly impact enlisted personnel and pensioners, as well as the excessive privileges granted to high-ranking officers.
Cuts and Discontent
Since the end of Dilma Rousseff’s government, low-ranking military personnel have faced a stagnation in salaries.
Now, the proposal for new deductions 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 deductions comes at a delicate time. As reported by a sergeant interviewed, the generals, on the other hand, seem untouchable, with access to luxury health plans and exclusive hospital accommodations.
“The care is a completely different reality for the low ranks. We have to wait hours for consultations while the generals enjoy five-star comfort in the same hospitals,” criticized Sergeant Wagner Coelho in an interview with the press.
Military Hospital or SUS?
The problems in the Armed Forces’ hospitals also generate outrage. According to complaints filed on Reclame Aqui, patients seeking care at the Naval Hospital Marcílio Dias (HNMD) in Rio de Janeiro faced waits of up to seven hours in the emergency room. Others report the absence of doctors and a lack of availability for consultations.
In online comments, the outrage translates into phrases like: “I waited seven hours to be seen at HNMD. At the UPA, with the same situation, I waited 30 minutes.”
Another military member even questioned whether it is possible to give up military assistance and rely only on SUS or private plans.
The list of complaints on the Reclame Aqui portal is long: delayed test results, difficulty scheduling consultations, and, mainly, reports of a lack of responses to complaints.
An Unequal Health System
For many, the hospital situation is a reflection of a larger inequality. Corporals and sergeants complain about a system that privileges higher-ranking officers with “VIP care”, while the base suffers from neglect.
The structural reforms of 2019 deepened this gap, according to analysts interviewed by the press. The restructuring plan elevated benefits for general officers, while lower ranks were sidelined.
“The spending cuts always fall on us, enlisted personnel and pensioners. And they still want us disunited, trapped by the ideologies imposed on Brazil,” lamented Wagner Coelho.
Parliamentary Mobilization
In the National Congress, a delegation of military personnel is trying to reverse the situation. Deputies from the public security bench, including Deputy Sergeant Portugal (Podemos – RJ), have expressed support for the category.
In a recent session, Sergeant Portugal emphasized that “the spending on military personnel is not an expense, but an investment” and promised to fight against the cuts.
He also warned of the need to ensure minimum conditions for those who maintain national security.
The mobilization of the category occurs in a context of growing political polarization, where debates about privileges, rights, and cuts further escalate tensions.
Internal Conflicts and Appeals for Unity
Despite the attempts at mobilization, Sergeant Wagner Coelho points out that ideological conflicts within the Armed Forces themselves hinder collective action. “We need to overcome these divisions to face the challenges that affect us together,” he stated.
Moreover, military personnel interviewed by the press emphasize that, without unity, it will be difficult to stop measures that deepen inequalities.
The situation exposes not only an internal problem of the Armed Forces, but also a question that reflects Brazil’s complex political and economic reality.
What do you think about this inequality within the Armed Forces?
-
-
-
3 pessoas reagiram a isso.