Brazil’s highest court opened proceedings Tuesday in the assassination case of Rio de Janeiro councilwoman Marielle Franco, whose 2018 murder transformed the human rights advocate into an international icon of resistance.
Five individuals face charges before a panel of Supreme Court justices: former congressman Chiquinho Brazão, his brother Domingos Brazão who served on a Rio oversight body, assistant Robson Calixto Fonseca, police detective Rivaldo Barbosa, and ex-officer Ronald Paulo Alves Pereira.
The 38-year-old Black and bisexual politician died alongside her driver Anderson Gomes when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle. Franco had championed the rights of Brazil’s most vulnerable populations.
Much of the prosecution’s case stems from cooperation agreements with former officers Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz, who received prison sentences of 78 and 59 years respectively in October 2024 for carrying out the assassination.
Authorities apprehended the Brazão brothers in 2024, alleging they orchestrated the murder plot. Investigators have connected them to paramilitary militia organizations that frequently clashed with Franco’s advocacy work.
Former Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski revealed during the arrests that evidence indicated Chiquinho Brazão harbored particular anger over Franco’s proposed legislation regarding public housing land regulations.
Each defendant has maintained their innocence regarding any involvement in the councilwoman’s death.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes will open proceedings by presenting the case overview. The Attorney General’s office will then make their presentation, followed by defense arguments. The judicial panel expects to reach a verdict sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Crime analyst Chico Otávio, who authored a book examining Franco’s murder, noted the investigation heavily relied on testimony from cooperating witnesses. He observed the verdict comes as Brazil’s Supreme Court faces public criticism over other high-profile cases.
“A conviction will be sold to society as a victory against organized crime, but it is not quite that,” Otávio told The Associated Press.
“The same militia groups that could be behind Marielle’s killing are even more powerful now. They are spreading to more areas of the city. Society will get an answer about her death, but Brazil will continue to be very far from solving its organized crime problem.”
United Nations officials in Geneva issued a statement Monday demanding “justice and remedy for all victims of pervasive systemic racism, structural discrimination and violence in Brazil.”
“As we reach this long awaited stage of the judicial process, it is vital that fairness and transparency are upheld and that full justice prevails,” they said in a statement.
Marielle’s sister Anielle Franco, who serves as Brazil’s racial equality minister, emphasized Tuesday’s proceedings as crucial for the nation’s democratic institutions.
She wrote on social media that the assassination “opened wide a pattern of violence, racism and misogyny in our country.”
“We believe that the judiciary will act for justice and in favor of our people, making our democracy stronger,” she said. “We will never stop fighting for every voice that was knocked out.”
