October 4, 2019

Jair Bolsonaro pictured with second accused in Marielle Franco murder case

Photos of Brazil’s president with a suspect in the killing of a Rio councillor have emerged – seven months after a similar incident

Sam Cowie in São Paulo

@samcowie84
Thu 3 Oct 2019 15.05 EDT

Brazilian opposition figures and human rights observers are seething after a photo emerged of the country’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, grinning and giving the thumbs up alongside a man arrested in connection with the murder of the Rio de Janeiro city councillor Marielle Franco.

It was the second time the president has been photographed alongside a suspect in Brazil’s most high-profile political murder in a decade.

In March, a photo of Bolsonaro with Élcio Vieira de Queiroz, a former policeman accused of driving the car used in Franco’s killing, circulated on social media.

Queiroz’s arrest appeared to support suspicion that Franco had been targeted by the paramilitary gangs known as “militias” that control large swaths of Rio and are usually made up of or commanded by active or retired police officers.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/03/jair-bolsonaro-photo-marielle-franco-murder-accused

Also posted in Editorials and other articles:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016240329

October 4, 2019

Brazil police raid Rio hospital to get bullet that killed child: report

OCTOBER 3, 2019 / 6:16 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
2 MIN READ

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Between 10 and 20 Brazilian police officers swept into a hospital in Rio de Janeiro and demanded doctors hand over a bullet that allegedly killed an 8-year-old girl during a police operation, a domestic magazine reported on Thursday.

The military police officers raided the Getulio Vargas hospital around dawn on Sept. 21, a Saturday, just hours after Agatha Felix was killed in the city’s poor Alemao district. According to bystanders, Felix was shot during a police raid, when a police officer mistakenly shot her while aiming at a motorcyclist. She died later in hospital.

Veja reported that doctors refused to give the officers the bullet and now fear reprisals.

Rio’s military police said in a statement it was normal for officers to be at a hospital after a shooting. Nonetheless, it added that “possible misconduct” by officers in the unit involved was under investigation internally and as part of the broader civil police probe into the case.

More:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-violence/brazil-police-raid-rio-hospital-to-get-bullet-that-killed-child-report-idUSKBN1WI2J8?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29&&rpc=401

October 1, 2019

Bogota police admits taking part in vandalism that ended peaceful student protests: report

by Adriaan Alsema October 1, 2019

Sources within Bogota‘s Police department have confirmed that two of its officers took part in vandalism that triggered violent repression of student protests in Colombia’s capital on Friday, according to Blu Radio.

Students on social media said on Friday that they had apprehended some of the rioters, including members of riot police squad ESMAD, and had handed them over to police.

Anonymous sources confirmed that two policemen had been arrested by their colleagues, the radio station reported Monday.

According to the police sources, the officers were throwing rocks at student loan institute Icetex “to remain unnoticed.”

The version given by the authorities is that while the uniforms were fulfilling the objective of infiltrating the demonstrations, they were discovered by several students and the policemen, to remain unnoticed, apparently began to throw stones.

Blu Radio

More:
https://colombiareports.com/bogota-police-admits-taking-part-in-vandalism-that-ended-peaceful-student-protests-report/

October 1, 2019

Lula Defies Car Wash and Says He Will Not "Bargain Freedom"

I will not exchange my dignity for my freedom, the former president said in a letter

Oct.1.2019 1:37PM

Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defied the Car Wash Operation (Lava Jato) and released a letter saying that he will not bargain in order to leave the prison in Curitiba.

"I will not trade my dignity for my freedom," wrote the petista. "I will not accept bargaining for my rights and my freedom."

Lula released the letter after the Car Wash task force recommended that the federal court grant regime progression (from closed to semi-open) to Lula, arrested since April 2018.

Lula has served a sixth of his sentence in the case of the Guarujá triplex, a requirement to leave the regime closed.

The former president had previously said that he intended to leave prison only after being cleared. He also rejects the possibility of wearing an electronic anklet.

More:
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/brazil/2019/10/lula-defies-car-wash-and-says-he-will-not-bargain-freedom.shtml

Viva Lula!

October 1, 2019

Alvaro Cadena, the 'serious threat' for journalist who exposed Uribe's alleged criminal activity

by Adriaan Alsema September 30, 2019


Alvaro Cadena is the brother of “gangstattorney” Diego Cadena and poses a “serious threat” to the journalist who exposed his brother’s alleged criminal activity, according to Colombia’s press freedom foundation.

Semana columnist Daniel Coronell has published evidence that could put Uribe and the self proclaimed “gangstattorney” in prison for fraud and bribery.

Miami’s only physical therapist assistant with his own private jet told his brother to “throw a party for that son of a bitch,” wiretaps obtained by Colombia’s Supreme Court and published by Coronell revealed.

. . .

Bock added that this “serious threat” is amplified by the fact that Cadena is the fixer of former President Alvaro Uribe.

Multiple witnesses and potential witnesses against the family of the former Medellin Cartel associate and leader of the far-right Democratic Center party have been assassinated.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/alvaro-cadena-a-serious-threat-for-journalist-who-exposed-uribes-alleged-criminal-activity/