Bolsonaro names new chief of staff

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has named General Walter Souza Braga Netto as his new chief of staff.

Braga Netto, who was in charge of security in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics  and then the officer in charge of the security intervention in Rio de Janeiro state, is now chief of staff of the Brazilian Army, reports Xinhua news agency.

Netto will replace Onyx Lorenzoni, who will be the new Minister of Cities.

He has held the chief of staff position since the beginning of the current administration.

It is the third cabinet shift in the Brazilian government since the beginning of February and the first time since 1981 that Brazil has a chief of staff who has active duty in the army.

With that change, the number of military cabinet members increased to nine.

Bolsonaro himself is a retired captain, and Vice President Hamilton Mourao is a retired general.