Who is Rivaldo Barbosa, the police officer who allegedly planned Marielle's death?

The biggest surprise for Marielle Franco's family among those named by the Federal Police as masterminds of the death of the councilor and driver Anderson Gomes was the involvement of police chief Rivaldo Barbosa, who was indirectly responsible for the investigations. In an interview with CNN this Sunday (24), Marielle's mother, Marinete da Silva, said she was “surprised and sad” about the inclusion of the former head of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro among those behind the murder, in March 2018. “ He said it was a matter of honor to solve the case”, she recalled.

Rivaldo Barbosa is 54 years old. He graduated in Law in 1998, from Unisuam, and for over 22 years he was a delegate in Rio. Among the highlights of his career, he was at the forefront of the investigation that identified PMs as the murderers of judge Patrícia Acioli, in 2011, in Niterói, and bricklayer Amarildo de Sousa, in 2013, in Rocinha.

Before being appointed Chief of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, one day before the deaths of Marielle and Anderson Gomes, in March 2018, he worked in the Homicide Division, in addition to other police stations and various sectors of the Police.

After leaving office, he received a position in the Secretariat's Communications and Police Operations Coordination. According to the Rio State Government's transparency portal, in February, the delegate received more than R$32,000 net as salary.

In addition to his role as delegate, Rivaldo was a Law professor for over 20 years at Estácio de Sá University and, since July 2022, he also held the position of Deputy Coordinator of the course at the institution. After the arrest, however, Estácio informed that the teacher is no longer part of its staff, and that all necessary measures have already been taken to replace him and continue classes. “Our actions are always guided by principles of ethics, correction and non-violence”, reinforced the note.

Not very active on social media, Rivaldo used to post some information about his work in the police and in the academic environment, as well as biblical messages.

In the press, Rivaldo was seen as an attentive, polite delegate who demonstrated technique and competence. But, according to the Federal Police, these qualities were used inappropriately. The investigation into the Marielle case indicated that it was Barbosa who instructed the executors to commit the crime away from the City Council, so that it would not be characterized as a “political crime”. This would ensure that the case would remain outside the scope of the PF.

According to the investigators, the guarantee of impunity surrounding Marielle's murder would be “just another one that appeared on the business desk” of the Homicide Division during that administration, since, according to a complaint made by Orlando Curicica, a former military police officer who He worked as a militia member and was unduly involved in Marielle's death. There was a monthly bribery scheme carried out by the militias to police stations in Rio.

Still according to him, DH received around R$60,000 to R$80,000 a month to avoid reaching those guilty of certain crimes. “This was when he did not receive an additional remittance due to the crimes that left evidence/traces”, states the PF report.

A CNN He contacted police chief Rivaldo Barbosa's lawyer, Alexandre Dumans, and is awaiting a response. At the door of the PF, last Sunday, he said that he had not yet spoken to the police chief nor had access to the files, so he could not comment on the case.

The Government of the State of Rio reported that three delegates from the Civil Police Intelligence Subsecretariat accompanied the investigations involving Barbosa and delegate Giniton Lages, in addition to a commissioner, the latter two, targets of search and seizure warrants.

“The participation, whatever it may be, of public agents in this crime, will be rigorously investigated so that they can be punished exemplarily. The Unified General Inspectorate, under the leadership of judge Antônio José Ferreira Carvalho, will investigate the conduct of these police officers with the necessary rigor. We continue to support the institutions for the final outcome of this crime”, said the statement.