Two former police officers have been jailed in Brazil for the murder of Marielle Franco, a prominent left-wing politician killed in a drive-by shooting in 2018.
Ronnie Lessa confessed to firing the shots and was sentenced to 78 years and nine months, while Élcio de Queiroz received 59 years and eight months for being the driver. Franco’s driver, Anderson Gomes, was also killed in the attack, but her press officer Fernanda Chaves, who was in the car, survived.
Franco, a gay Black woman, was an emerging light in Brazil’s socialist party, and her death at the age of 38 sparked nationwide protests. In court, Lessa said he was “blinded” and “driven crazy” by the prospect of a million-dollar reward for the murder, which the Justice Minister said was “evidently politically motivated.”
Both defendants signed plea bargains, leading to the arrest of politician Chiquinho Brazão and his brother Domingos on suspicion of ordering the hit. Lessa also alleged that the state’s chief of police at the time, Rivaldo Barbosa, had signed off on the killing.
After the sentencing, Franco’s father, Antônio da Silva Neto, said his family would continue their fight for justice, asking “when will the masterminds be convicted?” Life sentences do not exist under Brazilian law, so the two former officers are expected to serve a maximum of 30 years.
Fernanda Chaves, who survived the shooting, told the court how the night completely changed her life, forcing her and her family to flee the country. She said those responsible would spend the rest of their lives hearing Franco’s name and seeing her “face in walls across the world.”
Franco’s sister, Anielle Franco, said her legacy would be “evidence that women, black people from the favelas, when they get to positions of power, they deserve to remain alive.” The convictions are a milestone, but the investigation continues into the alleged masterminds behind the assassination.
This case has become a symbol of the struggle for justice and the protection of human rights defenders in Brazil. The lengthy sentences handed down to the direct perpetrators are seen as an important step, but the pursuit of those who ordered Franco’s killing remains ongoing.
