Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 7 February 2017

Military police families’ protest paralyzes Brazilian state

an unknown number of to have “paralyzed the
military forces were also on military police service, not
their way. The defense min- just in the capital but also
ister is expected to travel in the entire state,” the
to the state later Monday, state’s head of public se-
his office said. curity, Andre Garcia, told
The protests calling for reporters. He said there has
higher pay began this been a marked increase
weekend outside bar- in crime since the protests
racks throughout the small, began.
coastal state and have “Movements of this na-
prevented vehicles from ture, they hold society hos-
leaving. That has left the tage,” he said.
military police virtually un- In Brazil, the military police
able to patrol, though a play a crucial role in main-
few foot patrols began taining general security.
Monday, the Department Because of security con-
of Public Security said. The cerns, the capital city of
commander of the military Vitoria suspended most
police in the state has also services Monday, though
been replaced. emergency services are
The protests come as Bra- being maintained with
zil grapples with a deep, help from the municipal se-
Heavily armed police officers walk outside the Agricultural Penitentiary of Monte Cristo, after doz- protracted recession and curity force. The city closed
ens of inmates were killed, in Boa Vista, Roraima state, Brazil. Protests by the friends and family of
military police in Espirito Santo have led to an increase in crime and forced the shut-down of some many states struggle fi- schools, parks and health
state services, authorities said Monday. nancially. In Rio de Janeiro centers. The last means
(Rodrigo Sales/Futura Press via AP) state, where the govern- that there will be no vac-
ment is desperately trying cinations for yellow fever
SARAH DiLORENZO crease in crime and forced to provide security, and the to plug a massive deficit, in the city, even as Brazil
Associated Press the shut-down of some first such forces were ex- public servants have re- experiences its worst out-
SAO PAULO (AP) — Protests state services, authorities pected to arrive Monday peatedly protested over break of the disease since
by the friends and family said Monday. night. About 200 members late pay, sometimes clash- 2000.
of military police in Espirito Acting Gov. Cesar Colna- of the national guard were ing violently with police. Espirito Santo has seen 14
Santo have led to an in- go asked for federal troops heading to the state, and The protests in Espirito San- confirmed cases in the cur-
Strong 5.6 magnitude quake rattles parts of Colombia rent outbreak, and dozens
more are under investiga-
tion.
CESAR GARCIA the department of Huila, Bogota’s airport suspend- their structural strength. A court has ordered the
Associated Press about 185 miles (300 kilo- ed flights for a few minutes “The seismic norms in Bogo- protesters to end their
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — meters) southwest of the but reopened after authori- ta are incredibly strict and blockade, but the protests
A shallow, 5.6-magnitude capital. It had a depth of ties inspected the runway can withstand a very strong have continued.
earthquake rattled resi- 23 miles (37 kilometers), ac- and determined there had earthquake,” Penalosa Because of their crucial
dents of Colombia’s largest cording to the U.S. Geologi- been no damage. Bogota said as he inspected the role, members of the mili-
city on Monday, leading cal Survey. President Juan Mayor Enrique Penalosa downtown Plaza Bolivar. tary police are not allowed
office workers to evacuate Manuel Santos said there appealed for calm as star- Colombia is a seismically to stage strikes. But Garcia,
buildings and forcing the were no immediate reports tled office workers were active country with a large the head of public secu-
city’s airport to temporarily of damage. slow to return to high-rise potential for damage ow- rity, implied officers were
close. It was the biggest earth- buildings that have prolifer- ing to its mountainous ter- behind the movement,
The earthquake struck quake to hit Colombia ated in the capital of 8 mil- rain and location along the which he called “suppos-
shortly after 8 a.m. local since a 5.9-magnitude lion residents in recent years Pacific Ocean ring of fire. edly spontaneous.”
time and was centered in tremor last September. without any major test of Residents in Bogota said Maj. Rogerio Fernandes
the Earth moved for around Lima, a union representa-
30 seconds. tive, denied to reporters
“Everything was moving that the police had orga-
and at first I thought I was nized the protests but said
nauseous,” a 34-year-old they supported the goals,
office cleaner who was namely higher pay. He
on the fifth floor of a tall said officers in the state are
building at the time of the among the worst paid in
quake.q Brazil.q