Sebastian Fest Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Updated Sunday, March 24, 2024-17:55

This Sunday, the

Brazilian Federal Police

arrested three

suspects

of having ordered the

murder of councilor Marielle Franco

in 2018 , a crime that shocked Brazil.

Those

detained are a federal deputy

, Chiquinho Brazão,

a counselor of the Court of Accounts of the State of Rio de Janeiro

, Domingo Brazão. They are both brothers. The third detainee is Rivaldo Barbosa, who at that time was arrested by the Rio Civil Police and supposedly protected the Brazão, close to the clan of former president

Jair Bolsonaro

.

The investigation is led by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, member of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), and there will be other arrests in the coming hours.

The Minister of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco, Marielle's sister, celebrated the arrests on her social networks: "God knows how much we have dreamed of this day! Today is another big step towards obtaining the answers we have been asking ourselves for so long." time: Who ordered Mari's murder and why? I thank the Federal Police, the federal government, the federal and state prosecutors and Minister Alexandre de Moraes for their commitment. We are closer to justice! Great day! "


Marielle Franco was a sociologist, activist and politician, councilor of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) in Rio de Janeiro. A black woman, she was born and raised in the Maré favela complex, north of Rio, and was notable for her exposure of police violence against the black population living in the peripheral areas of the city of Rio. She also fought for feminist causes and in defense of the rights of the LGTBQ + population.

On March 14, 2018, at the age of 38, she was murdered after being shot four times in the face in the center of Rio de Janeiro. Her driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes, also died.


Last week, Ronnie Lessa, the perpetrator of the murder, said in his statement to the Federal Police that Franco's complaints collided with the real estate interests of the powerful armed militia groups that dispute power with drug gangs and security forces. security in the favelas.