Lula said soldiers will work with federal police officers to manage security operations at Latin America's largest port and airport: the port of Santos, in Sao Paulo, and its main airport Guarulhos.
Soldiers will also be deployed to the port of Itaguai in Rio de Janeiro state and Rio's Galeao airport.
Those ports and airports are key logistical hubs for booming cocaine exports to Europe, while also receiving contraband like high-caliber weapons that contribute to street violence.
"The situation in Rio de Janeiro has reached a very serious point," Lula said at a ceremony after singing the decree.
Then, last week, militias set fire to dozens of Rio buses after police killed one of their bosses in an operation.
Persons:
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Lisandra Paraguassu, Mark Porter, Josie Kao
Organizations:
Wednesday, Thomson
Locations:
BRASILIA, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Sao Paulo, Itaguai, Rio's Galeao, Europe, Rio