The Brazilian Army is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordinating itself, in the Federal Government's structure, to the Ministry of Defense, alongside the Brazilian Navy and Air Force. The Military Police and Military Firefighters Corps are legally designated as reserve and auxiliary forces to the army. Its operational arm is called Land Force. It is the largest army in South America and the largest branch of the Armed Forces of Brazil.
The Military Academy of Agulhas Negras is the biggest among several schools of formation of combatant officers of the Brazilian Army. It originated in 1792 with the creation of the Royal Academy of Artillery, Fortification and Drawing, the first military school of the Americas, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Today the Academy is located in the city of Resende, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian Army Aviation is the air segment of the Brazilian Army, operating rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) in conjunction with surface forces such as the 12th Light Infantry Brigade (Airmobile). Originally founded with aircraft in 1919, it ceased to exist in 1941, re-emerging in its current form in 1986. It has mainly transport aircraft in addition to light attack helicopters, but does not use dedicated attack helicopters. Its command (CAvEx) in Taubaté, São Paulo, is linked to the Land Operations Command, in Brasília, and the Southeastern Military Command. CAvEx only has subordinates in the 1st and 2nd battalions, also in Taubaté. The 3rd and 4th are respectively in Campo Grande and Manaus, subordinate to the Western and Amazonian Military Commands, and there is a detachment in Belém, in the Northern Military Command.
The Eastern Military Command is one of eight Military Commands of the Brazilian Army. The Eastern Military Command is responsible for the defence of the states Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. A Parachutist Brigade and two Infantry Brigades are assigned to the 1st Army Division, which is the CMLs manoeuvre unit. Two Military Regional Commands are subordinated to the CML for administrative purposes.
Enzo Martins Peri is a Brazilian Army general who was the commander of the Brazilian Army from 2007 to 2015.
Antônio Hamilton Martins Mourão is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who served as the 25th vice president of Brazil from 2019 to 2022.
Fernando Azevedo e Silva is a Brazilian politician and reserve army general. He served as the Brazilian Minister of Defence during the first half of President Jair Bolsonaro's term from January 2019 to March 2021.
Luiz Henrique Mandetta is a Brazilian pediatric orthopedist and politician, member of the Brazil Union (UNIÃO). Mandetta was announced on 20 November 2018 as Minister of Health of president Jair Bolsonaro, replacing Gilberto Occhi. On 16 April 2020 he was fired by Bolsonaro after disagreements over social distancing policies during the coronavirus pandemic.
Luiz Eduardo Ramos Baptista Pereira is a Brazilian Army four-star General, who was the Secretary of Government for President Jair Bolsonaro, succeeding Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz.
Walter Souza Braga Netto is a Brazilian army general and former Minister of Defence. Braga was Commander of the Eastern Military Command and, until 31 December 2018, Federal Interventor in the Public Security of the state of Rio de Janeiro. He unsuccessfully ran for Vice President of Brazil as running mate of Jair Bolsonaro in 2022, narrowly losing to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Geraldo Alckmin.
Eduardo Pazuello is a Brazilian divisional general of the Brazilian Army and politician, he served as Minister of Health between 2020 and 2021.
General Geraldo Antônio Miotto was a senior officer of the Brazilian Army. As a member of the Army High Command, he was the Commander of the Amazon Military Command and Southern Military Command.
Almir Garnier Santos is a Brazilian Admiral of the fleet, former Commander of the Brazilian Navy from 2021 to 2023.
A military crisis was triggered in March 2021 when Brazil's highest military officials resigned in response to President Jair Bolsonaro's attempts to politicize the armed forces. Since the beginning of his government, Bolsonaro had appointed an unprecedented number of military personnel to civilian positions, seeking to receive, in exchange, support from the military, including through public demonstrations in favor of his government's policies and against the measures adopted by the governors to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to advocating the decree of the State of Defense, as a way to increase its powers.
The Aerospace Operations Command is a joint command of the Brazilian Armed Forces in charge of planning, coordinating and conducting the employment of aerospace assets. Although part of the Brazilian Air Force's structure, it includes personnel from the Brazilian Army and Navy. COMAE is the central body in the Brazilian Aerospace Defense System and as such, it is directly responsible for the aerospace defense of Brazilian territory and may control Air Force, Army and Navy units.
Marcos Antonio Amaro dos Santos is a Brazilian Army general and former Chief of the Brazilian Army General Staff, replacing General Walter Souza Braga Netto.
The Brazilian cavalry is one of the branches that make up the Brazilian Army. It operates in armored vehicles and, like the infantry, has the role of directly confronting the enemy, but with distinct missions such as reconnaissance and vanguard. It is organized into regiments and squadrons, which are equivalent to the infantry's battalions and companies. Its main types are tank, mechanized, armored and guard. Its troops serve in vehicle crews or as fusiliers on board, who can also fight on foot.
Marco Antônio Freire GomesGCMM is a retired Army general of the Brazilian Army, Commander from 31 March to 30 December 2022.
Júlio Cesar de Arruda is a general in the Brazilian Army. He has served as chief of the army's Department of Engineering and Construction. He was the commander of the Brazilian Army from 30 December 2022 to 21 January 2023.
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