Geografia Militar e Defesa Democrática: a atuação do 24° BIS nas eleições de 2024

Abstract

The presence of the Armed Forces in Brazilian elections, especially in remote and socially vulnerable regions, represents a strategic dimension of military geography applied to democratic defense. In 2024, lhe 24th Jungle Infantry Battalion (24° BIS) player a decisive role in the state of Maranhão, ensuring the security, logistics, and integrity of the electoral process in hard-to-reach areas, historically marked by political exclusion, agrarian conflicts, and risk of fraud. This study aims to analyze the performance of the 24° BIS in the 2024 elections in Maranhão, focusing on electoral security and democratic defense, considering the region's geographical particularities, the logistics of military operations, and coordination with other public security institutions and Electoral Justice. The research used a qualitative and documentary approach, based on the analysis of normative guidelines, ordinances, instruction orders, and official documents that regulate the Voting and Counting Guarantee operations (GVA). In addition, data provided by the Electoral Justice and field reports in areas served by the 24° BIS were considered. The results show that the 24° BIS mobilized land, river, and air resources for the transport of ballot boxes and electoral materials, acting in cooperation with the Federal Police, the Regional Electoral Court, and other security agencies. The actions included preventive patrols, armed escorts, drone use, and the creation of security perimeters. These actions not only protected the electoral process but also increased the trust of local communities, especially indigenous and quilombola groups, in the democratic system. The analysis demonstrated that the performance of the 24° BIS in the 2024 elections represents an effective model of applying military geography to promote citizenship and electoral integrity