By Isabela Nóbrega and Suellen Siqueira
On Tuesday afternoon (27), the Minister of Defense, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, received a delegation from the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS), headed by Rubén Ramírez Lezcano.
On the occasion, the Minister presented the technical work done by the Armed Forces in the Election Transparency Commission and in the supervision of the electronic voting system.
The representatives of the international organization also learned about the proposals made by the Armed Forces to improve the security and transparency of the electoral process.
The delegation was also informed about how the Armed Forces will supervise the voting day, this Sunday, October 2nd.
Security and logistical support will be provided by 34,000 Armed Forces troops
The Ministry of Defense (MD), responsible for the actions of the Armed Forces in the areas of security and logistical support for the elections, in order to guarantee the full exercise of the constitutional rights of citizens, announced the numbers regarding the military presence in this year’s election. It is expected that about 34 thousand military personnel, 430 small boats, 18 ships, 3 thousand vehicles, 62 armored vehicles and 47 aircraft (among airplanes and helicopters) will be employed in these actions.
The participation of the Navy, Army and Air Force, by means of Voting and Counting Guarantee actions and in the logistics of the election is foreseen in the Electoral Code. The VVM operations, carried out in conjunction with public security bodies and at the request of electoral authorities, help maintain order in places where reinforcement is needed, in support of federal, state, and municipal bodies. Logistical support, on the other hand, guarantees the distribution of ballot boxes so that citizens, in the enjoyment of their civil rights, can vote in all locations, including the most remote ones, such as rural, indigenous, and riverine areas.
During the month of September, the Ministry of Defense has been publishing informative content with explanations about the participation of the Armed Forces in the 2022 elections. The Ministry’s goal, with the publication of articles and infographics, is to make available periodically updated information to answer society’s questions.
The infographics update numbers about the Joint Commands involved in the electoral process, as well as the states and municipalities that have requested support from the Armed Forces, with the use of military personnel and means, such as boats, ships, vehicles, armored cars, airplanes, and helicopters.
*** Translated by the DEFCONPress FYI team ***