Naval Postgraduate School

The Brazilian Military Naval Postgraduate School

This book examines the role of Brazil's military in counter-drug operations. Drug trafficking in Brazil poses a growing threat to the country's national security, but Brazil's physical size and limited resources have hindered the government's counter-drug efforts. The Brazilian military has been reluctant to assume a more significant role in counter-drug operations. The book argues that external, internal, and institutional pressures are driving the Brazilian military to expand its counter-drug role. The book recommends that the Brazilian-military expand its current support role in counter-drug operations, but that it avoid a direct role in law enforcement operations. The United States should support this expanded role, but only to the extent that such a role does not threaten the further consolidation of democracy in Brazil.