PGR: Marielle’s death occurred to protect militia interests

The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) concluded that the murder of councilor Marielle Franco and driver Anderson Gomes, which occurred in 2018, was carried out to protect the economic interests of militias and discourage acts of political opposition.

The conclusion is in the complaint presented earlier to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) against the Brazão brothers, arrested in March this year. They are accused of ordering the crime. During the investigations, former police officer Ronnie Lessa signed a plea agreement and admitted having committed the murders.

In the early evening of this Thursday (9), Minister Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the case, removed the secrecy of the document.

In the complaint, the deputy attorney general of the Republic, Hidenburgo Chateaubriand, denounced Domingos Brasão, advisor to the Court of Auditors of Rio de Janeiro, and Chiquinho Brazão, federal deputy (União-RJ), for murder and criminal organization.

For the PGR, the murder occurred for a base reason and through an ambush to make it difficult to defend Marielle and Anderson.

“The three infractions were carried out by means of an ambush and using a resource that made it difficult to defend those offended. The routine of the victims was studied, the pursuit was silent and the attack, on a public street, was sudden. Marielle was hit by four gunshots from fire to the head and Anderson, from three shots in the back, making any defensive reaction difficult,” the prosecutor wrote.

The document also points out that the councilwoman’s work in favor of regularizing land for lower-income people provoked animosity with the Brazão brothers’ group. The areas were in land dominated by militias in Rio de Janeiro.

“Marielle therefore became the main opponent and the most active symbol of resistance to the brothers’ economic interests. 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”, stated the PGR.

The complaint also highlights that the former head of the Civil Police of Rio Rivaldo Barbosa, also by order of the STF, gave instructions for carrying out the shooting.

“It was Rivaldo who advised everyone not to carry out the crime on a route that started or went to the City Hall, to hide the political motivation of the crime”, added the complaint.

The accused will also answer for the attempted murder of Fernanda Chaves, Marielle’s advisor at the time. She was in the car with the councilor and managed to survive.

“In the case of Fernanda Gonçalves Chaves, the homicide was not completed due to circumstances beyond the control of those accused. Because she bent down and Marielle Francisco da Silva’s body was next to her, she could not be shot”, concluded the PGR .

Defense

In a statement, Chiquinho Brazão’s defense said that they have not yet had access to the complaint presented by the PGR, nor do they yet know the terms of the allegations in the case.

“Thus, it is not yet possible to make a value judgment on the accusations. Lawyer Cleber Lopes said he will speak in more detail “as soon as the case rapporteur allows the defense to know all the elements produced by the investigation”.

Lawyers Marcelo Ferreira and Felipe Dalleprane, who represent delegate Rivaldo Barbosa, also stated that they have not yet had access to the PGR document. They added that “it caused surprise to the defense the fact that none of those investigated were heard before the complaint, in complete affront to the decision of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who had ordered the hearing of those investigated immediately after their arrest”.

In a note, the defenders also argued that, in Barbosa’s case, “the narrative of a confessed murder defendant [Ronnie Lessa] seems more important than the testimony of a police chief with more than 20 years of excellent service to public security in RJ, who didn’t even have the chance to present his version of the facts before being denounced, a true demonstration of inversion of values ”.

Lawyers Marcio Palma and Roberto Brzezinski, who represent Domingos Brazão, also reported that they did not have access to the complaint. “The constituted defense has not yet had access to the accusation nor to the collaborations, however, judging by the news, the accusatory narrative is an implausible hypothesis, which is based only on the narrative of the confessed murderer, without presenting evidence to support the murderer’s version” .