Murders Escalated 178 Percent in Ceará State During February

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The number of people murdered in Ceará in February this year was 178 percent higher than the number of murders recorded in the same month last year.

While 164 occurrences classified as Intentional Lethal Violent Crimes (CVLI) (homicides, femicides, armed robberies and bodily injury followed by death) were recorded in February 2019, this year the number of deaths was 456.

In a statement released yesterday, the state Public Safety and Social Defense Secretariat says the growth in the number of lethal crimes was “leveraged by the 11 days of the month in which part of the state police paralyzed activities”.

Of the extra 292 fatal victims recorded in the same month of 2019, 289 lost their lives between February 19th and 29th, when part of the state police and firefighters stopped, took over state facilities, and even damaged police vehicles in order to prevent ostensive patrols in a number of cities.

In addition, a further 23 homicides occurred on March 1st, when the strike came to an end, with part of the mçutineers returning to work after members of the executive, legislative and judiciary branches and representatives of the class reached an agreement. As a result, the total number of deaths recorded during the police mutiny reached 312.

The restart of negotiations for better wages and working conditions was conditioned upon the officers’ immediate return to work. It was also agreed that police and firefighters subject to investigations would not be punished without first responding to due legal process.

Any proceedings are to be guided by impartiality, impersonality, the right to a broad defense and adversary proceedings, being assisted by institutions such as the Prosecutor’s Office, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and the Public Defender’s Office. The state government has also pledged not to transfer any police officers for the next 60 days.

Two days after the agreement was signed, the Legislative Assembly of Ceará approved a Proposal for a (state) Constitutional Amendment (PEC) submitted by the Executive, forbidding governors from granting amnesty or pardon to state officers who, at any time, engaged in organized acts with the purpose of paralyzing the services provided to the population.

“The impact of the riot on the indexes had repercussions in all regions of the State, as well as in the figures of robberies and violent crimes against the Heritage (CVP),” argues the Secretariat of Public Safety and Social Defense, pointing out that the greatest increase in lethal violent crimes occurred in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza, where the total of homicides increased from 40 cases in February 2019 to 150 occurrences in the same month this year.

The total number of robberies of people increased 95.3 percent over the past month, rising from 3,331 in 2019 to 6,507 last month. Cargo thefts (with restrictions on the victim’s freedom), from residences, vehicles and against financial institutions also increased: from 477 cases to 1,2080 cases, or an increase of 168 percent. Thefts increased by 15 percent, from 4,263 to 4,902 cases.

Source: Agência Brasil