The role of Brazil in South America: the need of reliable Armed Forces to sustain the development

Abstract

This essay sets the stage in Brazil, the biggest co untry in South America. The work summarizes the historical background of Brazil in S outh America, showing the birth of the nation and its armed forces. It describes the greatness of the country in terms of geopolitical power, using Rudolf Kjellen’s ‘hand with five fingers.’ The work analyses the evolution of the military inf luence on governance with the objective to position the reader on the actual status of the armed forces contribution to Brazilian governance. It discusses the evolution Brazilian foreign policy as a benchmark to evaluate the Brazilian influence in South America, illustrating the actual role of the nation in world matters and examining the desires and future trends of Brazilian leadersh ip. Finally it outlines a risk assessment of Brazil con sidering South American environment and the role of the military, demonstrating that the ar med forces have a fundamental role in sustaining development.