The Brazilian Imperial Navy always enjoyed much freedom from the government compared to the1 rest of the military. This was so the navy could patrol the coast of South America and make sure rebellions were put down or to make sure the coast was secure. The Emperor and government had too much to deal with to worry about rebellion. The Admiral had extreme power and was second only to the Emperor and a few of his most trusted officials. Former Supreme Admiral Lucas Martino said in his memoir, 'Resistance is Futile' (2117), that the NEB could trace itself all the way back to when the fifth emperor established a separate Navy base up on the west coast of South America in 2043.