Defense Minister Paulo Sérgio Nogueira today signed the letter entitled “Declaration of Brasilia”, which lists a series of democratic values ​​and principles. Twenty other world counterparts sign the text which reaffirms the commitments to the Charter of the OAS (Organization of American States).

The declaration underlines the commitment to promote peace, concern for migratory flows and the defense of national independence and territorial integrity. In this last question, the text cites the case of the war in Ukraine.

Brazil, Argentina and Mexico stressed that the UN (United Nations) has “the forum with the right mandate to manage the conflict”. Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic reiterated their “incisive disapproval of the illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked invasion” of the country by Russia.

The Brazilian defense chief leads the 15th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, which takes place this week in Brasilia. This is the largest meeting between countries in the field of Defense and Security, and takes place every two years.

Other points raised were the preservation of the environment, the containment of the pandemic, the recognition of the role of women in defense and security, among other issues. The text also speaks of concern about transnational organized crime, which requires “cooperation and coordination among the states and defense and security institutions of the Hemisphere”.

Attacks against electronic voting machines

Government Defense Minister Jair Bolsonaro (PL), despite signing the letter, has behaved in recent months as an ally of the president when it comes to challenging the reliability of the electronic voting machine and system election in the country. General Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira does not speak directly of fraud, but approves the speech with unfounded suspicions.

Contrary to what the president says, since the introduction of electronic voting machines – partially in 1996 and 1998, and entirely from 2000 – there has never been evidence of fraud in Brazilian elections, even when the results have been disputed. The security of the vote is confirmed by the TSE, the MPE (Electoral Public Ministry) and independent studies.

The Armed Forces even sent several “suggestions” for the elections to the TSE (Higher Electoral Court). The main one would be to carry out an integrity test in the polling stations.

Yesterday, the columnist of UOL Carla Araújo showed that in a private conversation of about 45 minutes, the Minister of Defense, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, reaffirmed to the Secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd J. Austin III, their respect for the Inter-American Democratic Charter and says he values ​​democratic values. The minister avoided addressing the issue of electronic voting machines, but guaranteed that Brazil will have “transparent, secure and verifiable elections”.