Justice Delivers a Verdict: Brazil Confronts the Dark Links Between Politics and Crime

A five‑judge panel at Brazil’s highest court has, after a tense week of arguments, found five men guilty of killing former councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver in 2018. The case, long a flashpoint for political debate, shows how powerful forces can intersect with organized crime. The defendants include former congressman Chiquinho Brazão, his brother Domingos who once served on a city watchdog board, Robson Calixto Fonseca, ex‑police investigator Rivaldo Barbosa, and former officer Ronald Paulo Alves Pereira. Their crimes also extend to an attempted murder of Franco’s press aide, Fernanda Chaves, who survived the drive‑by attack. Sentences vary from 18 to 76 years. The Brazão brothers received the longest terms—over 76 years—for murder and attempted murder. Pereira was given 56 years, Barbosa 18 for corruption and obstruction, while Fonseca earned nine years for participation in a criminal group. Victims’ families will receive a $1. 4 million compensation package for moral damages. The court’s ruling cites the “militia modus operandi” that drove the attack: a need to keep financial gains and political influence intact. One judge, Alexandre de Moraes, highlighted that the crime was aimed at preserving power for militias and their allies. Another judge expressed sorrow for those left behind, noting that justice cannot erase pain.The trial began on Tuesday with the prosecutor arguing that the Brazão brothers led a criminal organization targeting politicians who threatened their interests, such as Marcelo Freixo. Prosecutors also used plea‑deal testimonies from former police officers Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz, who were recently sentenced for their roles in other killings. Amnesty International Brazil warned that the verdict exposes deeper issues: police corruption, obstruction of justice and state‑linked organized crime. They urged that real change requires tackling these systemic problems, noting Brazil’s status as a hotspot for attacks on human‑rights defenders. The Marielle Franco Institute, founded after her death, welcomed the convictions as a sign of a new Brazil that will not tolerate silence imposed by violence. Meanwhile, lawmakers passed a bill to stiffen penalties for criminal organization participation and allow seizure of assets in certain cases. The legislation now awaits the president’s approval. The case remains a stark reminder that justice can be pursued even when politics and crime intertwine, but also that lasting change demands structural reform.