Joao Figueiredo Quotes
Soldiers are supposed to keep quiet.
Restorer of Civilian Democracy to Brazil. His reticence to comment publicly on anything brought him the appellation, “Minister of Silence.”
Joao Figueiredo, 1918-1999, General and President of Brazil, Explanation to reporter as to why he would not do an interview
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Miles, a hero of the Indian Campaigns (although he led the atrocities at the massacre at Wounded Knee) and then the leading military figure in America was an opponent of the policies of the new young President and had political aspirations of his own for the Presidency. Miles’ opinions were printed in the press. He maintained that he was not speaking as the Commanding General of the Army but personally as a citizen. The President surprised almost all by publicly scolding and reprimanding Miles when he next came to the White House. Five days later Roosevelt made the reprimand official, effectively ending Miles career. The issue of when senior military officers can criticize the administration has been debated ever since. Roosevelt was also a war hero himself, and although the military was shocked by such “savage” treatment of a senior officer, the President had public opinion on his side. Every decade or so there is a military official who does not care for the administration’s policies and expresses himself publicly. President Truman’s firing to General Douglas Macarthur was the most dramatic case, but Truman was well aware of the Miles and TR precedent.
Lawrence of Arabia
João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo was a Brazilian military leader and politician who was the 30th President of Brazil, the last of the military regime that ruled the country following the 1964 coup d'état. He was chief of the Secret Service (SNI) during the term of his predecessor, Ernesto Geisel, who appointed him to the presidency at the end of his own mandate. He took the oath of office on 15 March 1979, serving until 14 March 1985.
