Squadron Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen took over the command of the Brazilian Navy this Thursday (5). Appointed by Lula, Olsen replaces Admiral Almir Garnier Santos, the last head of the Bolsonaro administration’s fleet. Garnier did not attend his successor’s inauguration ceremony.
In most of the broadcasts of Lula’s government, Bolsonaro’s ministers were not present. However, this breach of protocol is uncommon in the Armed Forces.
At the Army and Air Force handovers, substitute and replaced commanders were present at the ceremonies. The Navy did not officially justify the predecessor’s absence.
In April 2021, Garnier received the position from his predecessor, Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior, in a ceremony with the participation of then-President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
Despite being absent, Admiral Garnier left a written message, highlighting the successor’s values and, using a military allegory, stated that he will “try to maintain the most accurate position”. In practice, this means that he will remain “faithful to the Navy”.
In his inauguration speech, the new commander thanked President Lula for the privilege of being appointed. He also cited objectives and challenges to fulfill the strategic goals of the Brazilian Navy. Olsen made an emotional reference to the family.
Defense Minister José Mucio Monteiro attended the ceremony. As usual, he was awarded the Order of Naval Merit. In a speech, he highlighted the role of the Navy in supporting Brazilian foreign policy and naval diplomacy, support in the repression of crimes and the scientific work of the Navy.
Source: CNN Brasil
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