Statue honors murdered city councilor Marielle Franco in downtown Rio
A new statue of city councilor Marielle Franco, murdered in 2018, has been placed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, at a spot where she used to gather with voters to talk about campaign promises and her achievements. The inauguration ceremony was held Wednesday (Jul 27), her birthday. The activist would be turning 43 years old.
In attendance were a number of politicians, as well as Franco’s admirers, voters, and family members. The Mário Lago square, popularly known as Buraco do Lume, was packed. Everyone wanted to take a picture next to the statue.
The 1.75-meter–tall bronze statue was sculpted by Edgar Duvivier and shows Franco raising her left fist.
The murder of the lawmaker, ambushed on the night of March 14, 2018, while the activist was heading home after a political event, was remembered by her sister, Anielle Franco, who underscored her family’s fight for justice.
Investigations
After four and a half years of probing, the police arrested the two alleged perpetrators of the murder: retired Military Police Sergeant Ronnie Lessa and Military Police agent Élcio de Queiroz, awaiting trial in a federal prison.
Thus far, the authorities have not determined whether someone ordered the assassination.
Back in 2008, Franco was an aide to then state representative Marcelo Freixo, who was a member of the legislative committee investigating criminal groups known as police militias. The final report requested the indictment of 225 politicians, police officers, prison guards, firemen, and civilians. A number of people were imprisoned.
