Military Dictatorship and corruption
The case of the acquisition of the Vosper Frigates by Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14244/tp.v32iesp.2.1071Keywords:
Brazilian Navy, Navy and technology, Post-1964 dictatorshipAbstract
Based on a diplomatic dossier dating from 1978, found in the National Archives in Kew, south London, the text brings to light the case of an investigation by Hampshire police in the UK into allegations of corruption in the purchase of Vosper frigates by the Brazilian Navy, with its diplomatic consequences. The analysis is based on extensive and detailed documentation, which points to a mystery: why did the Brazilian Navy refuse to collaborate with an investigation that could have resulted in significant compensation being paid to Brazil, for fraud in the purchase of equipment, configured in overbilling for third-party supplies, with the agreement of the Brazilian Naval Commission in London? In this way, what began as research into technological aspects of the history of the Brazilian Navy ended up revealing yet another murky case of the misuse of public money under the military dictatorship of 1964-1985, for which there is still no official explanation, nor any documents that reveal how this matter was dealt with by the Brazilian government.
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