05/09/2024 – 22:07
The complaint filed by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) against the alleged perpetrators of the murder of councilor Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes tells part of the dark story of the advance of the militia in Rio de Janeiro and the infiltration of these paramilitary groups into spaces of power .
With her work in the Rio Chamber, Marielle began to be seen as a “threat” to the expansion and business of the militia members. That’s why she was eliminated. “It was in the disagreements over urban and housing policies that the Brazão brothers realized the need to execute the councilor”, states the PGR.
The attack that killed the councilor, in March 2018, was inserted in the context of the illegal exploitation of subdivisions in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, an area dominated by militiamen.
Deputy Chiquinho Brazão, and his brother, the counselor of the Court of Auditors of the State of Rio de Janeiro (TCE-RJ), Domingos Brazão, denounced as masterminds of the crime, are accused of maintaining alliances with different militia groups since, at least the early 2000s.
The closest relationship would be, according to the PGR, with criminals from Oswaldo Cruz, Rio das Pedras and Jacarepaguá, where the Brazão brothers would exercise “political authority”.
When he ran for councilor in the 2012 and 2016 municipal elections, Chiquinho Brazão was the politician with the most votes in Rio das Pedras. His brother, Domingos Brazão, who before being appointed TCE advisor served four terms in the Rio Legislative Assembly, had a similar performance. He was the most voted candidate for state deputy in the community in the 2010 and 2014 elections.
“It is common knowledge that, in territorial spaces controlled by militias, only candidates supported by them are authorized to carry out electoral campaigns. In return, those elected undertake to sponsor the businesses of paramilitary groups with State institutions”, says the complaint.
An image attracts attention in the document. It is an old photograph of Domingos Brazão in Rio das Pedras, under the “escort” of Marcus Vinicius Reis dos Santos, known as “Fininho”, one of the militia leaders in the community.
In one of the excerpts of the complaint, the PGR highlights that the brothers Chiquinho and Domingos Brazão invested in land-grabbing practices in the same militia areas where they constituted their electoral strongholds.
“The convergence of interests between the Brazão brothers and the militiamen with whom they approached has, essentially, to do with activities of irregular occupation, use and division of land.”
The brothers would control irregular subdivisions in the Jacarepaguá region, which would have been offered to shooter Ronnie Lessa as payment for Marielle’s execution.
With the family’s political rise, commissioned positions in the Rio City Council, the Legislative Assembly and the State Court of Auditors would have become bargaining chips with militia members. One of them would be Robson Calixto da Fonseca, known as “Peixe”, who was also reported. He was an advisor to Domingos Brazão at Alerj and TCE.
“This strategy of associating with militiamen, including appointing them to positions in public bodies, served two purposes, namely, to establish electoral strongholds in areas controlled by them and to explore real estate activities, through ‘land grabbing’ practices”, explains the PGR.
This is how, according to the complaint, Chiquinho and Domingos Brazão built their assets.
“The ‘land grabbing’ usually occurred with the use of low-income people. Properties were occupied and possession or ownership was then claimed. After regularization, the criminal group acquired the rights of possession and ownership of the goods, directly or through ‘oranges’ and interposed legal entities, selling them at exorbitant profits.”
The brothers were interested in approving legal regulations that would facilitate the regularization of the use of land occupation, especially in the west zone, and according to investigators, they began to see councilor Marielle Franco’s political group as a problem.
“Marielle therefore became the main opponent and the most active symbol of resistance to the economic interests of the brothers. Killing her meant eliminating the obstacle once and for all and, at the same time, dissuading other politicians from the opposition group from imitating her stance.”
The former head of Rio’s Civil Police, Rivaldo Barbosa, was also charged. The Attorney General’s Office states that he used the position to “offer the necessary guarantee to the intellectual authors of the crime that everyone would remain unpunished”.
“Rivaldo, beneficiary of fixed monthly amounts paid by militiamen and criminals in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, encouraged the decision, even providing intellectual assistance to criminals, by advising them not to execute Marielle Franco during any route that had the City Council as a point of origin or destination”, states the PGR.
See who was reported:
– Chiquinho and Domingos Brazão: identified as masterminds of the crime and denounced by a criminal organization, for the murder of Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes and for the attempted murder of advisor Fernanda Chaves;
– Rivaldo Barbosa: accused of using his position to obstruct investigations, the Civil Police chief was charged with murder and attempted murder;
– Ronald Paulo de Alves Pereira: the military police officer helped monitor the councilor before the execution and was also charged with murder and attempted murder;
– Robson Calixto da Fonseca: criminal organization.
It is now up to Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), to analyze the complaint and decide whether to open a criminal case. He opened a 15-day period for defenses to refute the accusations. It also made the process more flexible, which is now partial.
WITH THE WORD, THE DEFENSES
The report seeks contact with the defense of those accused. The space is open for demonstrations ([email protected] and [email protected]).
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