BRAZIL’S federal government has issued a decree to put the military in charge of Rio de Janeiro’s local police amid a spike in violence.

The move is significant, symbolically and in practical terms, for Latin America’s largest nation, where many still remember the brutal 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

Putting the military in charge could bring immediate relief from drug trafficking violence, but also spur fears among Rio’s residents about the use of strong-arm tactics.

The decree still needs to be confirmed by Congress but is expected to pass when voted on next week.

The move is a “triple jump without a safety net”, said Chamber of Deputies speaker Rodrigo Maia. “We can’t get this wrong. This is an exceptional measure that hopefully won’t take too long to re-establish order.”

It comes as President Michel Temer’s popularity has fallen to single digits, and his push to

pass pension reform looks to be failing.

Many saw the decision as a way for him to deflect attention from his political woes.