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WORLD NEWS Friday 16 March 2018

Rio councilwoman's murder puts army takeover in spotlight

on social media what she fered condolences and
alleged were recent police demanded full investiga-
killings. tions. The killing comes just
"Another homicide of a a month after President
young man that could Michel Temer put the mili-
be credited to the police. tary in charge of security in
Matheus Melo was leaving Rio, which is experiencing a
church when he was killed. spike in violence less than
How many others will have two years after hosting the
to die for this war to end?" 2016 Summer Olympics.
she wrote in her last post on The so-called intervention
Twitter. is controversial because it
Protests were planned in has put thousands of troops
several cities later Thursday, on the streets and, at least
and Franco's party called so far, doesn't appear to be
for a march in Rio on Friday. having an impact. It's also
Thursday morning, as news being criticized because
of the attack spread, sev- generals don't appear to
eral thousand people have the appetite to take
gathered in front of Rio's on major components of
city hall. In the afternoon, the violence: endemic po-
thousands followed as the lice corruption and heavy-
coffins were carried to the handed tactics.
A man holds a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese: "Black lives and LGBTs matter. Mari- private funeral. Rio's police force is one
elle present" as people gather in front of City Hall to pay their respects to slain council member Human rights organizations of the most deadly in the
Marielle Franco and her driver who were both gunned down the night before by two unidentified
attackers, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, March 15, 2018. and the United Nations of- world. q
(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

By PETER PRENGAMAN killed Wednesday night jured. It happened after
MAURICIO SAVARESE by perpetrators who ap- Franco participated in an
Associated Press peared to know exactly event focused on empow-
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A where she would be sitting ering young black women.
popular Rio de Janeiro in a car with tinted win- Elected in 2016, Franco was
councilwoman was shot in dows. The official revealed a member of the left-lean-
the head four times by as- details on condition of ano- ing Socialism and Liberty
sassins, police said Thurs- nymity because he was not Party known for her social
day, a brazen murder that authorized to discuss the work in poor and marginal-
shocked Brazil and raised case publicly. ized communities, or fave-
questions about the effec- In the attack in the Rio las, and outspokenness
tiveness of a military inter- neighborhood of Estacio against police violence,
vention in the city. de Sa, driver Anderson which disproportionately
A police official told The As- Pedro Gomes was killed impacts black residents.
sociated Press that 38-year- and Franco's press officer, Just last weekend, Franco,
old Marielle Franco was Fernanda Chaves, was in- who was black, lamented

UN report:
Torture alleged in missing students case

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The of the 129 people arrested authorities to throw out the
Office of the United Na- in connection with the stu- material, which forms the
tions High Commissioner dents' disappearance in foundation of the govern-
for Human Rights says that the southern state of Guer- ment's explanation of what
Mexico's investigation of rero suffered torture. It says occurred. The government
the 2014 disappearance federal police, investigators has said that the students
of 43 students has been and marines inflicted pain were attacked by local po-
based on statements ob- to obtain statements af- lice in Iguala, turned over
tained through torture. ter the Attorney General's to a drug gang, killed and
In a report released Thurs- office took the case. The incinerated at a garbage
day, the office says that 34 U.N. is calling on Mexican dump.q