MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Rio do Janeiro top cop resigns over killing of high anti-corruption profile Judge
Col Mario Sergio Duarte resignation was “voluntary and irrevocable in character” The top commander of the military police in Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil has resigned amid a scandal that linked a top officer and other policemen to the assassination of a high-profile judge.
Col. Mario Sergio Duarte submitted his letter of resignation Wednesday night, the state-run Agencia Brasil reported. The letter was accepted by the state's secretary of public security, Jose Mariano Beltrame.
The move comes two days after a lieutenant colonel, Claudio Oliveira, was arrested and accused of being the one who ordered the killing of Judge Patricia Lourival Acioli.
She was gunned down last month on her doorstep by hooded gunmen in the Rio suburb of Niteroi.
Acioli, a 47-year-old mother of three, was known for her hard-line stance against Rio de Janeiro's criminal gangs and brutal militias, mostly former policemen-turned-drug runners who formed extermination gangs much like the ones seen in Mexico.
Her death came days after she delivered tough sentences against former policemen who turned to crime.
In addition to Oliveira, nine other military policemen have been arrested and accused of direct or indirect involvement in the crime, Agencia Brasil reported.
The public security secretary said the police commander's resignation was “voluntary and irrevocable in character,” the news agency reported.
A new top commander will be named shortly.
In her 18-year career, Acioli handed down about 60 sentences against policemen and former policemen despite recurring death threats against her, high court criminal judge Manoel Alberto Rebelo dos Santos told CNN affiliate TV Record last month.
According to investigators, Acioli was on a handwritten death list issued by a leading member of a militia group who was recently arrested in Rio de Janeiro.
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Read all commentsLooks more like Tropa de Elite 2, than Tropa de Elite 2.
Sep 30th, 2011 - 08:14 pm 0IMDb: 'After a bloody invasion by BOPE in the Bangu prison, Rio to control a rebellion of interns, the Lt.-Colonel Nascimento and his deputy, Cpt. Matias are accused by the Human Rights member Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the (corrupt) Military Police and Nascimento is removed from the BOPE by the Governor. However, due to Nascimento's increased popularity, the Governor invites him to join Intelligence, in the Secretary of Security. Nascimento and the BOPE expel the drug dealers from several slums but an enemy arises within: the militia led by the Major and supported by the Governor, the Secretary of Security and the politicians. Nascimento is manipulated to help this group. He vanquishes the criminals in the favelas. The corrupt group of police officers is now totally free to exploit the favela populations of Rio.'
This film says more truths about the whole of Brasil today than the whole Congress-load of 'Politicians'.
Brasil's $Real Godfather?
Paulo Salim Maluf, the first-generation Arab Brasilian, presently Federal Deputy and long-time eminence grise behind the Brasilian political edifice. Career plagued by corruption. Convicted of corruption in 2001. Currently wanted for fraud, conspiracy, money-laundering and theft by Interpol (Red Notice: extradition by 181 countries world-wide). Untouchable by the law in the same way as The Godfather - the Ficha Limpa does not apply to him – Arguably, the most senior figure in Brasilian politics.
Breaking News:
Just today, he was accused of illegally amassing a personal fortune - just whilst Mayor of Sao Paulo - in excess of 1 billion $Real. If the top man stole ONE BILLION, think what the whole necessary pyramid of corruption must have stolen in the process.
This happens day in, day out, all across this vast country.
Indeed Geoff, similar like in your good old UK. but the difference is, the Brazilians know and try hard to solve that problem while brits like you simply deny it (Oh we are so good, that doesn't happen here in the UK)
Oct 01st, 2011 - 01:26 am 0Fido,
Oct 01st, 2011 - 10:08 am 0I have lived in both countries, and , in England, any excesses of the politicians, the judicary and the forces of law and order pale into total insignificance by comparison with what the people accept here in Brasil as 'the way things are'.
Surely you must have some idea of these disparities if you have ever lived in latin america and Europe/USA. Perhaps you have never lived in south america or only visited for a holiday.
These are the people we VOTE into office, and their employees; our public servants.
Total probity is the ONLY acceptible condition for these, our *servants* of the state.
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