In March 14 at 21 o’clock the city counselor Marielle Franco (PSOL)1 was murdered by four shots when going back home from the city center. Also the driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes, was murdered by three shots and her assistant was wounded in the occasion where a car stopped at the side of their vehicle and made 13 shots. According to the initial investigations there was no sign of robbery or reaction by the victims. The murderers were in two cars and were chasing Marielle`s car for at least 4 kilometers.
The ammunition used in the murder was acquired by the Federal Police in 2006 in Brasilia and it was probably acquired directly or indirectly by corruption inside the Federal Police.
Four days before the murder, the city counselor published a note denouncing the action of the 41st battalion of the Military Police, who killed two young men and threw their bodies in the river afterward, according to her note. This battalion is well known by the favelas and neighborhoods of the North Zone as a bunch of bandits specialized in abuse, executions and torture of unarmed masses.
This barbaric crime has generated a broad social commotion, many demonstrations took place in different cities and abroad, mostly for being an activist with a background of denouncing the crimes of the old State against the people – despite the illusions with the so called “parliamentary struggle” or “democratic spaces” which made the murder easier for the assassins.
This murder is mostly a murder for retaliation and also a clear message of threat to all democrats and those who denounce the war actions of the old State repression apparatus which is commanded by the Armed Forces in the moment.
The car of the victims.
Marielle speaking at the Municipal Chamber.
1 - PSOL - Socialism and Freedom Party - a party created after a split and expulsion of some leaders from the Workers Party (PT) in 2004.
