Planalto rules out the use of GLO in Rio at the moment

The Palácio do Planalto rules out, at this moment, considering a GLO (Guarantee of Law and Order) decree for the Armed Forces to act in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) after the mega-operation against organized crime that left over 60 dead on this Tuesday (28). The issue will be discussed with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who arrived in Brasília tonight after a trip to Asia. However, government officials perceive that the use of the Armed Forces in public security is unlikely to be adopted by the president, who has already expressed opposition to the measure. During this term, GLO has only been used in specific situations, for a determined period and region, as was the case at the G20 in November and BRICS in July, both in Rio de Janeiro (RJ). COP-30, taking place in November in Belém (PA), will also involve military presence on the streets. The government’s stance is precisely on integrated actions focused on security forces, including the Federal Police, Civil Police, and Military Police. In addition, GLO can only be decreed by the president after a request from the governor, which has not been made by Cláudio Castro. As reported by CNN, the Rio de Janeiro government requested the Ministry of Defense to provide armored vehicles for police interventions in high-risk areas in the state. In an unusual request, Castro even suggested to the military leadership that military police officers could operate Army armored vehicles during operations against organized crime. However, the federal government – based on an opinion from the AGU (Attorney General’s Office) – stated that the role of the Armed Forces is not routine and is only legitimate in actions in border regions or in cases where a GLO is decreed. It further added that “if the Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro believes that the situation requires a Guarantee of Law and Order operation, he must request a Presidential Decree.”