Murdered politician Marielle Franco receives statue in downtown Rio de Janeiro

The tribute comes on the day the councilwoman, who died in 2018, would have turned 43. The monument stands where she met with her constituents to report on her mandate.

A life-size statue of Councilwoman Marielle Franco, who was assassinated in 2018, was unveiled Wednesday (27) in downtown Rio de Janeiro.

The date chosen is the day the leftist parliamentarian would have turned 43. Marielle’s family, friends, and other supporters gathered at the Buraco do Leme site in Mário Lago Square.

Everyone wanted to take a photo next to the 1.75-meter bronze statue showing Marielle with her left fist raised.

“It is a day of joy. It’s the day my daughter came into the world. Marielle was a party girl; she often saw the other side. This place is a milestone in her life. She was here on top of a box every Friday, reporting on her mission. The story is not over yet, because we still don’t have the person who ordered [the killing]. But we will find her,” said Marinete Silva, Marielle’s mother.

The monument was erected by artist Edgar Duvivier, author of several other monuments in the city of Rio and abroad, through crowdfunding, in which more than 600 donors participated, according to the Marielle Franco Institute.

The site chosen for the installation was where the councilwoman gave a Friday speech on a box about her work in the Rio City Council.

“Today is a moment of celebration that strengthens the tireless struggle we have waged in these almost five years. The memory of Marielle is a bit closer to us, and we hope to live better days. It was a big step for us to get this clearance [to erect the statue], to bring it here, fist clenched but with a smile on our face,” said Anielle Franco, Marielle’s sister.

Marielle and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were executed by gunfire in Rio on the night of March 14, 2018. More than three years after the murder, law enforcement authorities still have not arrested the perpetrators.

Police have only arrested the parliamentarian’s two alleged executioners, retired military police sergeant Ronnie Lessa and former deputy Élcio de Queiroz, who are being held in a federal prison awaiting trial.

In a book about the case, the first officer involved in the investigation declared, “I have never seen such a well-planned crime.”

In 2008, Marielle was an advisor to then-deputy Marcelo Freixo in the CPI for Militias in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj). The final report called for the indictment of 225 politicians, police officers, prison guards, firefighters and civilians, resulting in several people being sent to prison.