Federal Police Conclude that Investigation into Marielle Franco’s Murder Was Obstructed

By Jack Arnhold, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The investigation by the Polícia Federal (Federal Police or PF) into the actions of the Polícia Civil (Civil Police) during the murder case of Rio city councilor Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes has come to an end.

The 600-page report has now been sent for review to the Prosecutor General of Brazil, Raquel Dodge.

The report concludes that an officer in the Polícia Militar (Military Police) Rodrigo Jorge Ferreira, or “Ferreirinha”, and his lawyer, Camila Nogueira, are part of a criminal organization whose aim was to obstruct investigations into the deaths of Franco and Gomes, according to O Globo.l

The investigation has uncovered a complex web of rival militias vying for control and influence in large areas of Rio’s “Zona Oeste” (West Zone).

Ferreira is charged with trying to mislead the police by falsely accusing a rival militia member, his former ally Orlando Oliveira de Araújo, aka Orlando Curicica, of being involved in Franco’s murder.

According to the report, the two men used to be part of the same militia which operated in the favela communities of Curicica in Jacarepaguá, and Terreirão in Recreio, in Rio’s West Zone.

The Federal Police believe that after a falling-out, Ferreira created his story to try and incriminate his former ally; in fact, Orlando Curicica was long considered by investigators to be the main witness in the case.

Earlier this year, in March, police arrested two former police officers, Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Vieira de Queiroz, on suspicion of assassinating Franco and Gomes; however, well over a year after their deaths, there is still no answer as to who ordered their killings.

The investigation conducted by the Polícia Civil and the Ministério Público do Rio (Public Prosecutor’s Office) continues.