Rio's Governor To Sue Bolsonaro over Marielle Franco Case

Rio de Janeiro's Governor Wilson Witzel will sue Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for accusing him of manipulating the investigation into the murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco, perpetrated on March 14, 2018.

RELATED:
Brazilians Commemorate First Death Anniversary of Marielle Franco

Witzel also criticized Justice Minister Sergio Moro for what he called frivolous statements, journalist Sidney Rezende posted on Twitter.

On Thursday morning, Bolsonaro claimed that Witzel had manipulated the state police to link the president to the attack on the Rio de Janeiro's councilwoman, a leftist LGBTQ+ politician, feminist and human rights activist for the rights of the black community in the favelas, who was carrying out an investigation on police brutality in her city's slums (favelas).

A year and a half after Franco's murder in Rio de Janeiro, only four suspects have been arrested and limited details of the investigation are known, but the main question - who ordered the crime? - remains unanswered.

Recently, the case once again dominated headlines when TV Globo cited a testimony in which Bolsonaro is linked with one of the suspects.

On October 2nd, The Intercept Brazil journalist Glenn Greenwald leaked a second photo of President Jair Bolsonaro with one of those involved in the murder of Councilor Franco.

Marielle Franco returned home after participating in a debate with young black women, when her car was shot at. She received four shots to the head and her driver was shot three times in the back.

Investigators say that the shots came from another car. So far, only four suspects have been arrested, former police officers Elcio Queiroz and Ronnie Lessa.