See what is known about the attack on the MST settlement

Last Friday night (10), criminals attacked the Olga Benário settlement, of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), in Tremembé, in the Paraíba Valley, in the interior of São Paulo. The action left eight people shot — two died at the scene.

Previously, the MST had reported that the attack caused three deaths, one of them after a period of hospitalization. Later, the Movement retreated, highlighting the total of two fatalities.

The victims were rescued and taken to the Taubaté Regional Hospital and Tremembé Emergency Room. In a press conference, delegate Daniel Lourenço Von Gal, delegate of the Taubaté Civil Police Section, said that an injured woman is in a serious condition.

The São Paulo Civil Police arrested, on Saturday afternoon (11), the man suspected of having led the attack, known as “Nero do Piseiro”. The man had already passed through illegal possession of a firearm and confessed to the crime . The accused participated in the action and was recognized by the victims and is named as the intellectual responsible for the attack.

So far, the attack has left two people dead. Gleison Barbosa, aged 28, and Valdir Nascimento, known as Valdirzão, aged 52, died at the scene.


Six people were injured and were hospitalized at the Taubaté Regional Hospital and the Tremembé Emergency Room.

Reason for the crime

The investigation indicates that the motivation would have been a disagreement over irregular land trade within the Olga Benário settlement area.

In a note, the MST states that “the place faces a intense dispute with real estate speculation focused on leisure tourism, due to its strategic location in the Vale do Paraíba region”.

The organization also says that settled families suffer constant threats even after complaints to the authorities.

Police search for criminals involved

Witnesses said they were threatened by a person called Ítalo — this is the second person identified by the police as being involved in the attack. In his statement, Nero do Piseiro told the police where other people involved in the crime lived. According to the MST, 10 criminals entered the settlement. The police are still trying to find out the exact number of people involved.

Agents from the Taubaté Specialized Criminal Investigations Police Station (Deic) seek to identify the other suspects involved in the attack.

THE Taubaté Civil Police investigate the case recorded as homicide, attempted homicide and illegal possession of a permitted firearm.

Weapon seizure

Sharp weapons and ammunition of different calibers, including shotguns, were seized. At the scene, the following were seized:

  • 1 rake
  • 1 hoe
  • 1 pickaxe
  • 4 knives
  • 5 12 gauge cases
  • 17 cases appearing to be 9 mm

On the night of the crime, another man was approached at the scene and charged with illegal possession of the weapon. According to the police, he had gone help victims after the group leaves the property.

This content was originally published in See what is known about the attack on the MST settlement on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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