The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro (PL), stated this Monday (23) that 12 people were arrested for “terrorist actions” after setting fire to at least 36 buses. A SuperVia train was also set on fire.
“We arrested 12 criminals for setting fire to buses. And these criminals are already in prison for terrorist actions. And as terrorist actions, they will be immediately sent to federal prisons, because that is where terrorists live,” said Castro.
According to the Civil Police, the attacks were carried out by a group of militiamen in retaliation for the death of Matheus da Silva Resende, aged 24, deputy leader of the gang. He died hours earlier during a confrontation with civil police in a favela in Santa Cruz, a neighborhood in the west zone.
Known as Teteu or Faustão, Resende was the nephew of Luis Antônio da Silva Braga, known as Zinho, who since 2021 has been the leader of the main militia group operating in Rio. Faustão, was second in the group’s hierarchy, according to the police.
According to Rio Ônibus – which is the union of public transport companies in the capital of Rio de Janeiro – this was the largest number of buses burned in the city in a single day.
“Our security forces are united and active, and our population can give a vote of confidence. Because this fight is to free our population from these factions, these true militias”, declared the governor.
The attacks occur at a time when the National Public Security Force, the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police were deployed to Rio de Janeiro to assist local forces amid an increase in crime.
According to state government sources, the possibility of using the Armed Forces to combat crime in Rio has also been discussed with the federal government.
Impacts
The fires caused changes in the circulation of buses in the west zone, the most populous region of the capital. According to MobiRio, the Transoeste corridor lines were interrupted for public safety reasons.
According to Paulo Valente, spokesperson for Rio Ônibus, the episode highlights “the State’s inaction in the face of these episodes of extreme violence, and that the citizen’s right to come and go is forgotten. Rio Ônibus once again vehemently rejects what happened, and calls on public authorities to take urgent action. We need to put an end to this situation.”
The city hall declared a stage of attention in the early evening.
Source: CNN Brasil
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