Criminal Implicated in Franco Murder Arrested in Brazil

On Wednesday, the Civil Police arrested Almir Gomes da Silva in the State of Paraiba as a suspect in the murder of Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL) councilor Marielle Franco.

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The detainee is a member of a far-right militia that operates in Rio de Janeiro. Police investigations found that Gomes da Silva had another murder in this city on June 3, which could have been the reason for his flight to Paraiba.

"Some of the militiamen linked to this man were arrested in police operations... But he managed to escape... He is a very dangerous criminal," Delegate Diego Beltrao said and commented that Gomes da Silva was trafficking drugs and planning attacks to financial institutions.

The Rio de Janeiro police confirmed the danger of the criminal, who will be transferred to that city where he will have to answer for his participation in the political murder.

The name of Gomes da Silva appeared in the statements made by the widow of Captain Adriano Magalhaes da Nobrega, who was suspected of being also involved in the murder of the Socialist activist.

The tweet reads, "During a human rights-related event in Dublin (Ireland), the tribute to Marielle Franco turned into a demonstration in favor of the impeachment of Bolsonaro."

Gunned down by police in February 2020, this Captain took to his grave the secrets of the "murky relations between crime, police, and politics in the Brazilian city," as recalled by outlet El Pais.

In March 2018, Marielle Franco and her driver were killed while driving through the Estacio neighborhood in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Since then, the Brazilian authorities had only detained former military policemen Ronnie Lessa and Elcio Queiroz as the perpetrators of the attack.

In 2019, judicial investigations found links between the killers of Marielle Franco and the sons of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.