Abstract
The military mystique corresponds to a set of beliefs shaping military interventions in combatting criminal activity yet the demand for militarizing security is context dependent as police responses have failed to control criminal behavior. This chapter aims to understand how societal perceptions regarding the superiority of the Armed Forces to the detriment of civilian agencies shape military operations. It demonstrates that not only the myth about the honorability and efficiency of the Armed Forces delimits the set of options that ordinary citizens envisage for responding to a spike in insecurity, but also stimulates the extension of military activities beyond the initial realm of action once an operation starts.
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Notes
- 1.
Interview with journalist Rosario Mosso, 27/11/2017. Interview with police officer Muñoz*, 15/11/2017, Tijuana. Conversation via Skype with Colef researcher Lorena Pérez-Floriano.
- 2.
Interview with police officer Muñoz*, 06/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 3.
Interview with Juan Osorio* and Andres Guardado*, 01/08/2016, Tijuana.
- 4.
Colloquial expression for trafficker.
- 5.
Interview with Julián Leyzaola , 26/09/2016, Paris.
- 6.
Interview with police officer Muñoz*, 06/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 7.
Interview with police officer Luís*, 09/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 8.
Interview with police officer Enrique*, 10/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 9.
Interview with police officer Yamil*, 10/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 10.
Interview with Sebastián Muñoz*, 03/08/2016, Tijuana. Interview by phone with Roberto Luiggi*, 29/06/2016, Mexico DF. Interview with Teresa Flores*, 02/08/2016, Tijuana.
- 11.
Interview with businessmen leader Emiliano Salinas*, 31/10/2017, Tijuana.
- 12.
Interview by phone with businessmen leader Roberto Luiggi*, 29/06/2016, Mexico DF.
- 13.
Interview with businessmen leader Omar Sánchez*, 01/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 14.
Interview by phone with Roberto Luiggi*, 31/10/2017, Mexico City.
- 15.
Interview with officer Alejandro*, 13/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 16.
Interview with police officer Yamil*, 10/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 17.
Ibidem.
- 18.
Interview with Emiliano Salinas, 03/08/2016, Tijuana.
- 19.
Interview with Sebastián Muñoz, 03/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 20.
Interview by phone with Roberto Luiggi*, 29/06/2016, Mexico DF.
- 21.
Interview with military officer Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016 and 25/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with military officer Yanamoto*, 21/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with military officer Mandim*, 07/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 22.
Interview with Dona Dinha* from Nova Brasília, 22/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 23.
Interview with Rita* from Joaquim de Queiroz, 23/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 24.
Interview with Wellington* from Vila do João, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 25.
Interview with retired Military Police Colonel Ubiratan Ângelo, 26/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 26.
Interview with Dona Dinha* from Nova Brasília, 22/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 27.
Interview with Dona Dinha* from Nova Brasília, 22/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 28.
Interview with Pedro* from Morro do Timbau, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 29.
Interview with Wellington* from Vila do João, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 30.
Interview with Thaiane* from Fogo Cruzado, 13/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 31.
Interview with Thaiane* from Fogo Cruzado, 13/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Silvio* from Vila do João, 22/04/2016.
- 32.
Big Skull, colloquial expression for an armored vehicle used by BOPE.
- 33.
Interview with Thaiane* from Fogo Cruzado, 13/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Silvio* from Vila do João*, 22/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Wellington* from Vila do João, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Greice* from Pinheiros, 18/04/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 34.
Only in December of 2010, the Brazilian Special Action Group Against the Organized Crime (GAECO), a unit within the Regional Public Prosecutor, charged forty-five individuals for association with the CV (Terra, 2010).
- 35.
Interview with Celso Amorim, 23/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Nelson Jobim, 22/03/2016, São Paulo.
- 36.
Interview with Major Ricardo, 08/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with General Enzo Peri, 30/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with General Jose de Nardi, 04/05/2016, Porto Alegre.
- 37.
Interview with Major Garibaldi, 14/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016 and 25/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Captain Scheffer*, 08/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 38.
Those who were born in the state of Minas Gerais.
- 39.
Colloquial expression used for referring to engage in sexual intercourses with someone.
- 40.
Interview with Allan*, 12/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 41.
Baile funk is a party born in favelas in which funk carioca is played. Funk carioca (funk from Rio de Janeiro) is a genre of dance music derived from hip hop, Miami-bass and freestyle.
- 42.
Interview with Romário*, 15/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 43.
Ibidem.
- 44.
Interview with Rita* from Joaquim de Queiroz, 14/04/2016 and 23/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 45.
Interview with Carla*, 26/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 46.
Interview with Sílvio*, 22/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Captain Scheffer*, 08/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Marine Campos*, 12/03/2016 and 04/10/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 47.
Interview with Thaiane*, 14/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Lidiane*, 16/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 48.
Interview with Pedro* from Morro do Timbau, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 49.
Interview with Wellington* from Vila do João, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 50.
Interview with Lurdes* from Morro do Timbau, 21/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 51.
Interview with Captain Scheffer*, 08/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 52.
Interview with Jefe Muñoz*, 06/11/2017, Tijuana. Interview with ministerial police investigative agent Alejandre Fonseca*, 03/08/2017, Tijuana. Interview with police officer Luis*, 09/11/2017. Interview with police officer Yamil*, 10/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 53.
Interview with Heriberto Garcia, 04/08/2016 and 24/11/2017, Tijuana. Interview with Raul Ramirez, 03/08/2016, Tijuana.
- 54.
Interview with General Adriano Pereira, 01/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 55.
Interview with Major Garibaldi*, 14/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 56.
Interview with Major Garibaldi*, 14/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 57.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 58.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016 and 25/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Major Ricardo*, 08/04/2016. Rio de Janeiro.
- 59.
Interview with Wellington*, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Pedro*, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Thaciane*, 16/04/2016. Rio de Janeiro.
- 60.
Interview with Major Ricardo*, 08/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 61.
Such exercises are also organized by SWAT units, which is another indication of the overlap between police and military duties.
- 62.
Interview with police officer Mazuranna, 11/05/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 63.
Interview with police officer Marco*, 09/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 64.
Interview with Emiliano Salinas*, 31/10/2017, Tijuana.
- 65.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Souza*, 03/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 66.
Interview with Carla*, 16/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.. Interview with Wellington*, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.. Interview with Pedro*, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Dona Dinha*, 28/04/2016 and 22/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Rita*, 14/04/2016 and 23/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 67.
Interview with Tião Santos, 09/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 68.
Interview with Tião Santos, 09/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Raquel Wiladino, 29/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 69.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Airton*, 07/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 70.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Souza*, 03/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 71.
Interview with Pedro* from Morro do Timbau, 28/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 72.
Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Eduardo*, 21/03/2016 and 25/09/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 73.
Interview with Army Major Suárez*, 27/09/2017, Mexico city.
- 74.
Interview with journalist Rosario Mosso, 27/11/2017, Tijuana.
- 75.
Interview with Marine Campos*, 12/03/2016 and 04/10/2017, Rio de Janeiro.
- 76.
Interview with General Adriano Pereira, 01/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 77.
Interview with former Minister of Defence Nelson Jobim, 22/03/2016. Interview with former Army Commander General Enzo Peri, 30/03/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 78.
According to research conducted by the Brazilian Service of Assistance for Micro and Small Companies (Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas, SEBRAE), 92% of businesses in the favelas are not formalized, being exempt of the payment of taxes (Ost & Fleury, 2013, p. 648).
- 79.
Interview with Ezequiel* from Vila do João, 12/05/2016, Rio de Janeiro. Interview with Dona Dinha* from Nova Brasília, 28/04/2016, Rio de Janeiro.
- 80.
Interview with businessmen leader Roberto Luiggi*, 29/06/2016, Tijuana.
- 81.
To note, the decision was formally sustained by Article 63 of Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión, which “forbids transmissions causing the corruption of language and contrary to morality, whether it is by malicious expressions or apologies to violence and crime”. This article is part of the original text of the 1960 Law initially approved by the Federal Congress.
- 82.
Funk proibidão is a strongly forbidden music style. It is a controversial subgenre of funk carioca whose lyrics assert the values and culture typical of drug gangs.
- 83.
Interview with General Adriano Pereira, 01/04/2016, Brasília.
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Medeiros Passos, A. (2022). The Military Mystique. In: Democracies at War Against Drugs . The Sciences Po Series in International Relations and Political Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11327-7_4
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