During testimony this Thursday (11), PM Sérgio Regattieri Fernandes Marinho said that the approach of the young black children of diplomats that occurred at the beginning of the month was not racist, but rather an approach that occurred due to the similarity with the suspect group that was being sought.
The two military police officers from Rio de Janeiro involved in the approach of the young people were at the police station for the first time this Thursday. The officers were there to give statements in the investigation that is looking into whether the conduct of the officers was racist or not towards the group of teenagers.
During his testimony, which lasted just over two hours, Marinho stated that he suspected the group because they could be committing a robbery. Only Marinho was interviewed.
Before the police approached, a victim had stopped the police officer near the beach to report a robbery she had suffered in the area. And that a group of robbers with characteristics similar to those of the teenagers had carried out the robbery.
The sergeant also said that this is why he started looking for the suspects, until when they passed by Rua Prudente de Moraes, in the Ipanema neighborhood, they approached the young men.
The other police officer, Sergeant Luiz Felipe dos Santos Gomes, did not testify. His defense argued that it needed access to the records and requested a new date, which has not yet been set.
A Military Police officer and the PM Internal Affairs Department accompanied the agents while they were at the Special Tourism Support Station (Deat).
On Thursday morning, two of the teenagers involved in the case were also heard via video conference. They are no longer in Rio de Janeiro and claimed that the police approach was brutal.
Governor Cláudio Castro criticizes the stance of the Itamaraty
After the case became public, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called a meeting with those responsible for the young people, issued a formal apology and said that it would demand that the Rio de Janeiro State Government conduct a rigorous investigation and hold those involved accountable.
The governor of Rio, Cláudio Castro (PL), a few days after the Itamaraty’s position, said that he would not crucify his police officers and that he would demand an impartial investigation.
“I will demand a serious, impartial investigation. If it is found that they overdid it, they will be punished,” said Castro.
The governor stated that he heard a pre-judgment of the police officers by the federal government, and that before communicating with the press and holding meetings with the embassies, Itamaraty did not contact the government of Rio de Janeiro.
“When they want, they call. Sending a subsequent letter means nothing after having messed with the police. Their letter is completely unnecessary.”
Itamaraty said it would not comment on Governor Cláudio Castro’s statements.
Source: CNN Brasil
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