In May 2024, Brazilian President Lula da Silva froze the implementation of a tender for the purchase of a batch of modern howitzers for the Brazilian army, which was won by the Israeli concern Elbit Maarahot.
All this time, the president’s foreign policy adviser Celso Amorim, who previously held the posts of foreign minister and defense minister, was trying to get Elbit’s victory overturned and the order transferred to the Czech defense company Excalibur, which took second place.
However, as reported by Brazilian media, Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Musio and the military command are against this step, continuing to insist on implementing the contract with the Israeli company.
In total, the Brazilian army wants to buy 36 ATMOS self-propelled guns and a training simulator. According to Brazilian media, the deal is estimated at 150-200 million US dollars.