Crime rate soars in Brazilian state of Bahia on fifth day of police strike
The murder rate in Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia has soared during a state police strike that on Saturday entered its fourth day. The state’s Public Safety Department says on its website that 51 people have been murdered in and near the capital city of Salvador since the strike began on Wednesday.
The government news service Agencia Brasil says that the murder rate has ballooned 117% increase over the same period last year.
Some 2,000 Brazilian army soldiers and a contingent of 650 elite federal police troops are patrolling the nation’s third-largest city while officials and strike leaders negotiate an end to the strike.
State officials have said that about 10,000 of the state’s 30,000 police are on strike. They are demanding better pay and bonuses.
The city of Salvador registered a total of 29 homicides over a 30-hour span, amid a crime wave caused by a police strike and despite the reinforcements provided by the federal government.
The city has been plunged in a wave of violent crime since late Tuesday, when the 30.000 members of the Bahia state police force went on strike demanding a 50% pay raise.
Though on Thursday a court declared the walkout “illegal” and ordered police to resume their work immediately, the strike continued until Saturday with spokespersons for the police union announcing that it would not be called off until their demands were met.
The Brazilian government after ordering 2.600 soldiers from Army barracks in Salvador sent to other cities of Bahia, announced it was preparing another 4,000 if the situation gets worse.
The troops went on patrol this Friday in the chief tourism centres of Salvador, a city set to welcome thousands of tourists to celebrate Carnival, one of the most spectacular, massively attended in all Brazil.
Brasilia said that Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo will travel to Salvador this weekend to personally appraise the situation and decide whether a greater military presence is needed.
Speaking Friday night on regional television, Bahia Gov. Jacques Wagner attributed the crime wave to groups with ties to the police on strike.
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Whatever next?
forgetit not taking the bait then? :-)
We all know the asnwer and it's not a yes.
We all know the asnwer and it's not a yes.
What is it mates?
You had your wave of violence ,dont you?
untill now we transported 6 thousand troops from all over the country to there,even from the south region, army men and National Guard men. The reaction was quickly enough to prevent an even more dangerous issue.
@1
You really deserve an asnwer, brazilian are known for our diplomatic and peacefull aproach in international relations , if someone deserve a seat in the UNSC is brazil and for some extent India,Germany and Japan too. Today the security council doesnt represent the real powerfull nations. Military speaking , yes for sure, but in war, gold is so good than swords. Have you forgot that we are the 6th biggest economy?
However, dont take personal, i dont have anything against Britain or any other nation, just stay cool and keep the respect.
Greetings.
DanMoura, you need to understand, in the UK, kids aren't taught to think for themself. They are taught they are superior and a good example for the world. Nothing wrong with, but the problem is, and you can see it today 2012, what they have been taught, in their head, doesn't mix with reality. They see their country slowly fading away, being surpased by nations they have never been or always been taught that they cannot and will not supass them, economically. Becaue it's happening, their world is crashing, and some of them feel much better when they type as if they care but still on way bash it. It so much fun, because in their minds, they hate it, what's happening. they can't stand it. On average for the brits, bbc and sky news are real news, and thinking, doing homework yourself, is a no no.
For all you 'know nothings' about the riots in the UK, please look at this moron:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9060735/London-riots-cross-eyed-thug-admits-1m-blaze-after-police-recognise-eyes.html
The Home Office have now confirmed what we always thought. The riots had nothing to do with homeless people or anti-banking marches. ALL the people arrested had previous convictions for theft , a third of them more than 5 and 10 more than 50, yes that's fifty (cincuenta). It was greed NOT murder as in Brasil.
AND, I am not as stupid as some of you'think' (I use that term advisedly because some here don't think) I KNOW you are the sixth largest economy: with your population and oppotunities I am suprised you are not higher.
But so what? I can only judge on what I see in the press - and it is not good. Now if some of you want to hide your head in the sand and pretend it does not exist then that is up to you. However, if Brasil REALLY wants to be a world leader (and why not?) then SOMETHING needs to be done to 'civilise' the place and quickly before the murders start happening when the World Cup starts.
If foreign fans are murdered then it will not be comments from the likes of me that will upset you - just wait and see what will happen to Brasils' world standing then.
Apart from DanMoura who seems to grasp what I was talking about, the likes of Fido Dido just go straight to stupid stereotypes! Pathetic.
Brazil is the new guy on the block, and whether you like it or not,
when brazil enters the world stage, it comes with moral and legal responsibilities,, and I think she will de well, if she drops the hangers on, whose only interest is to use brazil for her own advantages,
Brazil will grow, but she must never turn her back on Argentina,
For she may well turn inwards in the years to come,
As for brazil, the world is your oyster, just don’t jump to soon .
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