Lula Fires Brazil’s Army Chief Arruda After Riots in Capital
- New Army commander defended election results on Friday
- Government has promised to punish those involved in riots
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Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva dismissed the nation’s top army commander on Saturday, two weeks after rioters stormed public buildings in the capital, Brasilia.
Julio Cesar de Arruda will be replaced by Tomas Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, currently chief of the army in the country’s southeast region, Defense Minister Jose Mucio said at a briefing Saturday. The government’s relationship with the Brazil army leadership “suffered a fracture in the level of trust” after rioters’ recent acts, Mucio said.