Marshall Rondon and the Link Between the Past and the Present
1865-1958
Marshal Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon is known as the "Father of Brazilian Telecommunications" and the date of his birthday (May 5th), is designated as "National Telecommunications Day". Rondon was a Military Engineer and responsible for the exploration of Brazil countryside as well as the construction of several telegraph lines, connecting regions of Brazil.
In this period of pioneering, the Marshal put into practice his ideals of environmentalism and sustainable development, highlighting the role of the indigenous people in Brazil, guaranteeing the necessary efforts for the demarcation of their lands and thus expanding the extension of the delimited areas.
As a result of his engagement in the indigenous cause, he founded the Indigenous Protection Service in 1910, an agency that he headed until 1930. On December 5th, 1967, the agency became the current National Foundation for Indian. Some time later, still acting and concerned with Indian issues in Brazil, Rondon encouraged the creation of the Xingu Indigenous National Park, in Mato Grosso State, a project conceived by the Villas Bôas brothers: Orlando (1914-2002), Cláudio (1916-1998) and Leonardo (1918-1961).
Even today, the achievements of Marshal Rondon are considered remarkable for the country. Likewise, they are present in the principles, values and actions of Brazilian Army in the most distant regions of the country. As an example, we can draw a parallel between the achievements and consequences of the work carried out by Rondon in the Amazon territory with the role of Military Engineering in the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure in Brazil's North Region, promoting the connection among isolated regions and urban centers.
The Connected Amazon Project, led by the Ministry of Defense, allows Brazilian Army to connect several regions spread across the Amazonian region. With high-speed data transmission channels, allowing the flow of information in a safe and reliable way, it is possible to provide Internet services to isolated populations that previously had difficulty communicating with each other and with the rest of the country.
Finally, by praising Rondon's values, which linger in the current members of the Military Engineering, the Brazilian Army continues to promote national development regardless of the context and overcoming all challenges.
