Political murder unravels in Brazil: after six years of silence, the shadow of powerful politicians falls

M. Franco, who promised to fight corruption and criminal gangs, in 2018 was killed on a street in Rio de Janeiro when unknown assailants opened fire on her car.

The woman was driving home from a meeting at the time.

His driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes, was killed along with the 38-year-old city councilwoman.

The killing of the city’s only black councilwoman comes nearly a month after President Michel Temer’s decision to give more powers to the military.

Dubbed a rising star in Brazilian politics, Franco was a staunch opponent of the decision, saying it would lead to more bloodshed without addressing the root causes of the violence.

For many years, they were looking for who could have killed M. Franco.

Now it seems that both her family and the thousands of supporters of the politician who have taken to the streets in protest over the years have received an answer, The New York Times reports.

Brazilian police arrested Chiquinho and Domingos Brazao, two brothers who, like Franco, worked for the Rio de Janeiro city council.

These men are suspected of murdering the woman.

The city’s former police chief, Rivaldo Barbosa, who initially led the investigation into Franco’s murder, was also detained. According to court documents, he is suspected of willfully obstructing an investigation.

Police charged Chiquinho Brazao and R. Barbosa with murder.

No charges have yet been filed against Domingos Brazzo, who currently works for a court official himself.

Domingos’ attorney denies all charges.

For many years, they were looking for who could have killed M. Franco.

“He didn’t know Marielle, he had no relationship with Marielle,” he told reporters.

Former Rio de Janeiro city councilor Marcelo Freixo, a former political associate of Mr. Franco, said in an interview that he was not surprised by the murder charges against high-ranking officials.

“We have long said that crime, policing and politics in Rio de Janeiro are inextricably linked,” he said bluntly.

For many years, the Brazilian public has raised the rhetorical question of who could have killed the country’s well-known politician in protests.

M. Franco’s supporters used to shout during the protests: “Who killed Mariela Franco?” The same phrase was used on the T-shirts of the participants in the poster demonstrations.