In 4 months, police action arrested 1,025 suspects and killed 56 in Baixada Santista
A SSP-SP (São Paulo Public Security Secretariat) announced on Monday (April 1, 2024) the end of Operation Verão. According to the agency, since December, 1,025 suspects have been arrested and 56 have died in a confrontation with the police in Baixada Santista , on the south coast of São Paulo.
Among those arrested, 438 were wanted by the courts, in addition to 47 minors apprehended, reported the SSP-SP. The Civil and Military Police seized 2.6 tons of drugs and 119 illegal firearms during the period.
Also according to SSP-SP, the operation resulted in a reduction in robberies by 25.8% in Santos, São Vicente and Guarujá in the first two months of 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year. “Throughout Baixada Santista, February 2024 was the month with the lowest rate of robberies in the historical series, which began in 2001”, he said in note.
With the end of Operation Verão, the São Paulo government announced an increase in police force in the main cities of Baixada Santista. “At the end of February, 341 PMs, including soldiers, corporals and sergeants, began operating in the region. Furthermore, there is a forecast of an increase in civil police officers with the training of new agents this year.”, he stated.
The Secretary of Public Security of the State of São Paulo, Guilherme Derrite, assessed that “the operation fulfilled its objectives.” According to him, “now, with the increase in personnel, we can continue this fight, which will be constant”.
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POLICE OPERATIONS IN DOWNTOWN
In July 2023, São Paulo launched operation Escudo as a response to the death of Patrick Bastos Reis, a military police officer from Rota (Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar), while patrolling in Guarujá (SP). The measure left at least 28 dead in around 40 days.
In December 2023, the local government announced a new police action, which works as an extension of the previous one. Named Operation Summer, the initiative allocated a reinforcement of 3,108 military police officers in 16 municipalities on the south and north coast of the state. After the death of soldier Samuel Wesley Cosmo, also a Rota PM, on February 2, the São Paulo government launched a new phase to intensify the police presence on the streets.
The 3rd phase of the operation began shortly afterwards, on February 7, also caused by the death of another PM, Corporal José Silveira dos Santos. At the time, the state government installed a Public Security office in Santos and reinforced patrolling in cities on the coast of São Paulo.
The number of deaths, both in Operation Escudo and in Verão, provoked a series of movements by human rights organizations. On February 16, the NGO Conectas Human Rights and the Vladimir Herzog Institute sent an appeal to the IACHR (Inter-American Commission on Human Rights) and the UN (United Nations) for the end of the operation and the mandatory use of body cameras.
A São Paulo State Police OmbudsmanThe State Public Defender's Office and some congressmen were also in Baixada Santista to collect statements from residents about violent attacks, torture and executions by police officers.
TARCÍSIO “NOT EVEN THERE”
The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos-SP), said on March 8 that he was “do not care” to the negative repercussions of police operations in the State. He stated that he has “very peaceful” about what has been done and has been praised by businesspeople and judges.
“This week, I had Intermodal. Then I arrived at Intermodal, there are a number of businesspeople from Baixada Santista who operate in the Port of Santos. What I heard: 'Tarcísio, thank you very much for what you are doing. No one has ever done that.' I heard this from the Judiciary. So, honestly, we are very calm about what is being done. And then, people can go to the UN, the Justice League, whatever the hell, and I don’t care.”declared Tarcísio to journalists.
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