Augusto Heleno

General
Augusto Heleno
General Augusto Heleno
Secretary of Institutional Security
	In office; 1 January 2019 – 1 January 2023
President	Jair Bolsonaro
Preceded by	Sérgio Etchegoyen
Succeeded by	Gonçalves Dias
Commander of MINUSTAH
	In office; August 2004 – August 2005
Head	Juan Gabriel Valdés
Succeeded by	Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar
Personal details
Born	Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira; 29 October 1947 (age 77); Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Political party	PRD (Since 2023)
Other political; affiliations	PRP (2018); PATRI (2018–2023);
Spouse	Sônia Pereira
Children	Renata; Mário Márcio
Parents	Ari de Oliveira Pereira (father); Edina Ribeiro (mother);
Occupation	Military
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Brazil
Branch/service	Brazilian Army
Years of service	1966–2011
Rank	General
Commands	Preparatory School for Army Cadets; 5th Armored Cavalry Brigade; Army Physical Capacity Center; United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti; Amazon Military Command; Department of Science and Technology
Awards	Order of Military Merit (Grand Cross - Grã-Cruz); Order of Naval Merit (Grand Officer) ; Order of Aeronautical Merit (Grand Officer) ; Order of Aeronautical Merit (Grand Cross) ; Peacemaker Medal ; Order of Rio Branco (Grand Cross - Grã-Cruz); United Nations Medal (MINUSTAH - Haiti) ; Order of Labour Judiciary Merit (Grand Cross - Grã Cruz); Order of Military Judiciary Merit (High Distinction); Marshal Hermes Medal;

Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira (born 29 October 1947) is a Brazilian politician retired general of the Brazilian Army. He was military commander of the Amazon and Chief of the Department of Science and Technology of the Army. Heleno has declared positions against official politics, particularly about the attitude of the international community in regards to Haiti and the indigenous politics of the Brazilian government.

During Jair Bolsonaro presidential campaign, the candidate invited Heleno as his running mate in the election, but his party refused.^[1] The general was then invited for Minister of Defence of Bolsonaro's government.^[2] However, the nominated minister stepped back and was chosen for the Institutional Security Cabinet.

Augusto Heleno is currently being investigated by the Federal Police of Brazil, along with other former members of the Bolsonaro government, as a suspect of participating in a coup d'état plot.^[3] On November 21, 2024, he was formally indicted.^[4]

Military career

Heleno graduated as Aspirant of cavalry in 1969, at the Military Academy of Agulhas Negras, placing first in his cavalry class. He was also the first in the cavalry class in the Officials Improvement School (EsAO) and Army Command and Staff School (ECEME), receiving the silver Marshal Hermes medal with three crowns. As Major, Heleno joined the Brazilian mission of instruction in Paraguay. As Colonel, he commanded the Preparatory School for Army Cadets (EsPCEx) in Campinas and was military attaché in the Brazilian Embassy in Paris, also accredited in Brussels. As Official General, Heleno was commander of the 5th Armored Cavalry Brigade and of the Army Physical Capacitation Center, chief of the Army Social Communication Center and of the Chief of Staff of the Army Commander.

From June 2004 to September 2005, he was the first military commander of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), made up of 6,250 Blue Helmets from 13 countries, of which 7 were Latin Americans. During his time in Haiti he was known for leading a United Nations armed assault on Cité Soleil that killed dozens of people including Dread Wilme.^[5] Similarly to Chilean ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés, special representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and chief of the mission, and of the Latin American governments, General Heleno expressed his disapproval at the strategy adopted by the international community about Haiti.^[6] He was succeeded in the MINUSTAH command by General Urano Teixeira da Mata Bacelar, who committed suicide in Port-au-Prince, four months later, in January 2006.

As military commander of the Amazon, General Heleno contested the indigenous politics of the government of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who characterized the policies as "unfortunate, if not chaotic" during a speech in the Military Club in Rio de Janeiro, at the time of the demarcation of the indigenous land of Raposa/Serra do Sol. He stated that the indigenous "gravitate around our squads because they are completely abandoned".^[7]

His last occupation in the active service was as chief of the Department of Science and Technology. On 9 May 2011, in a ceremony in the Army Headquarters in Brasília, Heleno retired and defended the 1964 military regime, after 45 years of military life.^[8]

Life after retirement

General Heleno acted as security and military issues consultant of the Grupo Bandeirantes, where he collaborated being a commentator in the broadcasters' schedule.

Heleno was also Communication and Corporative Education director of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB).^[9]

In 2013, he was convicted of authorizing illegal grants.^[10]

On 18 July 2018, there was a rumor that General Heleno would be nominated as candidate for vice presidency of Brazil, along with Deputy Jair Bolsonaro's coalition.^[11]^[12] However, he denied the candidacy for not being of his party interest,^[1] but kept supporting Bolsonaro's candidacy for President of Brazil and was subsequently invited for the Ministry of Defence.^[13] However, ten days later it was confirmed that Bolsonaro had chosen him to run the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic.

He is the son of Ari de Oliveira Pereira and Edina Ribeiro Pereira, is married to Sônia Pereira and had two children: Renata and Mário Márcio.

On 18 March 2020, Heleno tested positive for COVID-19.^[14]

Notes

^ Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito Naval - Grande-Oficial
^ Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico - Grande-Oficial
^ Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico - Grã-Cruz
^ Portuguese: Medalha do Pacificador

References

^ ^a ^b Fernandes, Talita (18 July 2018). "General Augusto Heleno afirma que não será vice de Bolsonaro" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "Bolsonaro presidente: Quem são os 4 nomes apontados como prováveis ministros". BBC News Brasil (in Portuguese). BBC Brasil. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "PF mira Bolsonaro, Braga Netto, Valdemar, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira e Anderson Torres em operação sobre tentativa de golpe em 2022" [Federal Police targets Bolsonaro, Braga Netto, Valdemar, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira and Anderson Torres in operation on attempted coup in 2022] (in Portuguese). G1. February 8, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
^ "PF indicia Bolsonaro, Braga Netto, Heleno, Ramagem, Valdemar e mais 32 em inquérito sobre tentativa de golpe" [Federal Police indicts Bolsonaro, Braga Netto, Heleno, Ramagem, Valdemar and 32 others in investigation into attempted coup] (in Portuguese). G1. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
^ Gabriel Stargardter (November 29, 2018). "General behind deadly Haiti raid takes aim at Brazil's gangs". www.reuters.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
^ Ribeiro Pereira, Augusto Heleno (11 September 2005). "Haiti: um grande desafio" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ Nogueira, Italo (17 April 2008). "Política indigenista é lamentável e caótica, diz general" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "General Heleno volta a defender golpe de 64 ao passar para reserva" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ Merguizo, Marcel (16 July 2015). "Além de atletas-militares, COB tem general que liderou missão no Haiti" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ Lara, Bruna de (Dec 9, 2018). "The Corruption Cabinet: Jair Bolsonaro Promised to End Corruption in Brazil — Then He Appointed an Extremely Corrupt Cabinet". Retrieved Aug 13, 2019.
^ Dias, Marina; Carvalho, Daniel (17 July 2018). "Bolsonaro desiste de aliança e Ciro faz ofensiva para acordo com PR" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "Ex-chefe militar no Haiti, provável vice de Bolsonaro defendeu mandados coletivos no Rio" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ "Bolsonaro confirma astronauta e mais 3 ministros do governo". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2018-12-04.
^ Mazui, Guilherme (18 March 2020). "Ministro Augusto Heleno diz que seu exame deu positivo para coronavírus" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved 18 March 2020.

Military offices
Preceded by Sérgio Etchegoyen	Secretary of Institutional Security 2019–2023	Succeeded by Gonçalves Dias
Preceded by Francisco Ronald da Silva Nogueira	Commander of EsPCEx 1994–1996	Succeeded by Mário de Oliveira Seixas
Diplomatic posts
Office created	Commander of MINUSTAH 2004–2005	Succeeded by Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar