Killing of Rio councilor may be linked to militia, minister says

The investigation into the killing of Rio de Janeiro city councilor Marielle Franco, member of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL), and her driver Anderson Gomes points towards the involvement of militia agents, said Brazil’s Public Security Minister Raul Jungmann on Monday (Apr. 16).

“The probes have made strides. They’re coming from a large set of hypotheses and narrowing down. One of the possibilities becoming more and more prominent is that it’s been a crime connected to the militias.” Militias are para-military organizations active in Rio de Janeiro, usually made up of off-duty or retired police agents, parallel to drug-trafficking gangs.

When asked whether other city councilors could be involved, Jungmann said no possibility should be ruled out. “I think we shouldn’t discard anything—especially if there are audio recordings, or information that could lead to any sort of accountability,” he noted.

Franco and Gomes were killed on March 14, in the district of Estácio, downtown Rio, when their car was shot at thirteen times. The murderers had been following them since Lapa, where she had taken part in her last political event.