OS INVESTIMENTOS BRASILEIROS EM DEFESA COMO INDUTORES DE DESENVOLVIMENTO E TENTATIVA DE REPOSICIONAMENTO GEOPOLÍTICO

Abstract

This article investigates Brazilian investments in the national defense sector between 1985 and 2022, analyzing whether they were used to promote economic development and reposition Brazil’s geopolitical image. The research is divided into three parts: analysis of the military budget, a detailed overview of the main armed forces modernization projects, and interpretation of the data. The study reveals that, although all administrations since the country’s re-democratization have attempted to use the defense sector as a tool for economic development and geopolitical repositioning, many projects were postponed or abandoned due to budgetary inconsistencies or internal political instability. The administrations of Fernando Collor and Jair Bolsonaro were the most detrimental to military modernization in budgetary terms, whereas the governments of José Sarney, Itamar Franco, Lula da Silva, and Dilma Rousseff demonstrated greater budgetary predictability and, at certain points, even expansion. Despite its slow pace, the continuity of development and modernization programs is notable, with some projects – such as Calha Norte, FX-2, MANSUP, and PROSUB – partially achieving their objectives. The article concludes that, although defense investments are essential to the country’s geopolitical ambitions, the lack of budgetary predictability and ongoing political turbulence hinder the completion of such projects.