22 February 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Jose D.R. Burgos met with General Eduardo Dias da Costa Villas Boas, Commander of the Brazilian Army.

General Villas Boas, who visited the Philippines in 1994 as Brazil’s Defense Attaché stationed in Beijing, welcomed the opportunity to meet Ambassador Burgos and discuss ways to expand cooperation between the armies of the Philippines and Brazil.

In particular, General Villas Boas stressed that Brazil’s biggest problem is widespread criminality brought about by rampant drug smuggling and drug use. He said that the Brazilian Federal Police estimates that around 80% of all crimes committed in Brazil are drug-related. In this regard, he proposed that Brazil and the Philippines conclude anti-drug trafficking cooperation agreement.

General Villas Boas also expressed interest in conducting joint Jungle Warfare Training between the Philippine and Brazilian armies. He informed Ambassador Burgos that jungle warfare training in Brazil is conducted in the Amazon rainforest.

For his part, Ambassador Burgos praised the Brazilian Army for its readiness even in non-combat situations, such as disasters and emergencies. He cited the significant role played by the Army in Operation Zika Zero, Brazil’s nationwide campaign to stamp out the breeding grounds of the Aedisegypti mosquito which carries the Zika virus. END