Military Alert In Brazil

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 13

Military Alert In Brazil

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil), December 13. Military units were put on alert early today as President Arthur Da Costa E Silva conferred with top military aides in the aftermath of a stunning rejection by the usually pliant Congress, the Associated Press reported.

By a vote of 216 to 141, the Chamber of Deputies yesterday resisted military demands that it permit the trial of the Opposition Deputy, Marcio Moreira Alves, on charges of abusing his civil rights by criticising the military on the floor of Congress. There were reports the Government might react by stripping Moreira Alves of his political rights or close down Congress, but there was no confirmation.

There were reports of widespread disagreement within the Government and the military on just what should be done in the face of the unexpected Congressional vote. Because the Government controls Congress and has 281 deputies to. the Opposition’s 128, the Government

floor leaders had been confident of victory. They had expected defections by about 50 members of the Government but almost 100 voted with the Opposition.

There was no evidence of unusual security precautions at the Army, Navy or Air Force Ministries, but lights burned past midnight at the palace where the President met with top civilian and military aides.

Army, Navy and Air Force leaders felt they had been insulted by speeches Moreira Alves made in the Chamber of Deputies a few days after security forces arrested dozens of students in September, Among Moreira Alves remarks was: “When will the army stop being a nest of torturers?”