The Federal Police (PF) indicted state deputy Lúcia Helena de Amaral Pinto, known as Lucinha (PSD), on suspicion of involvement with a militia that operates in Rio de Janeiro.
Investigations by the PF and the Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) indicate that the deputy acted as a lobbyist for the benefit of the militia that operates in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro, the Zinho militia – Luís Antônio da Silva Braga.
Zinho was considered the most wanted militia member in Rio de Janeiro until he surrendered to the PF on December 24 last year, with 12 outstanding arrest warrants. The militiaman handed himself in after deputy Lucinha was the target of an operation, a week earlier.
The parliamentarian's indictment was sent by the PF to the Rio Legislative Assembly (Alerj), which is studying the revocation of her mandate. To CNN, the House informed that the work was resumed on Monday (29) by the Alerj Ethics Council. “Regimentally, the Board has five calendar days to summon and subpoena Congresswoman Lucinha (PSD), who, in turn, will have 10 calendar days to deliver her defense in writing,” he added.
PF sources interviewed by CNN say that the deputy is the “political arm of the Zinho militia”, one of the most powerful and violent in Rio and with a strong presence in the populated region of Campo Grande and Santa Cruz, in the West Zone of the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
Because of this bond, according to the task force, Lucinha is called “godmother” by Zinho's paramilitaries, for her facilitation and assistance to the group. The deputy's advisor is also named as a member of the group.
According to investigators, there is strong political coordination with public bodies to meet the interests of the militia group.
Based on the investigations, the PF and the MPRJ carried out “Operation Baptism” on the morning of December 18th, with eight search and seizure warrants in Campo Grande, Santa Cruz and in the deputy's office, in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro. (Alerj).
The action was an offshoot of Operation Dynasty, launched by the Rio PF in August 2022, with the aim of dismantling a criminal organization formed by militiamen.
The deputy's defense was not found by the report. The space remains open for demonstrations.
Source: CNN Brasil
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