{"id":77943,"date":"2024-04-30T14:59:18","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T17:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=77943"},"modified":"2024-05-03T18:51:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T21:51:12","slug":"marielle-was-killed-for-defending-the-right-to-housing-editorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=77943","title":{"rendered":"Marielle Was Killed for Defending the Right to Housing [EDITORIAL]"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rio<\/a>
Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman Marielle Franco, born and raised in Complexo da Mar\u00e9, in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone. Photo: PSOL YouTube channel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/h5>\n
On March 24, 2024, the Brazilian Federal Police (PF<\/a>) launched an operation resulting in the arrests of three suspects behind the March 14, 2018<\/a> murder of Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman Marielle Franco<\/a> and her driver, Anderson Gomes. The accused are: Domingos Braz\u00e3o<\/a>, advisor to the Rio de Janeiro Auditory Court (TCE-RJ<\/a>), named the mastermind behind the crime; Chiquinho Braz\u00e3o<\/a>, Domingos\u2019 brother and a sitting Federal Congressman<\/em>\u00a0for Rio de Janeiro under the Uni\u00e3o Brasil Party<\/a>, who has been accused of financing the assassination; and Rivaldo Barbosa<\/a>, Rio de Janeiro\u2019s former Chief of Civil Police<\/a>, who helped plan the assassination and obstructed investigations<\/a>.<\/em><\/h5>\n
That same day, The Intercept Brasil published<\/a> a report stating that Marielle was killed so that then-City Councilman (now-Federal Congressman) Chiquinho Braz\u00e3o could secure the approval of Municipal Bill 174\/2016<\/a>, also known as the Land Grab Bill<\/a>. Largely impacting the city’s West Zone<\/a>, the bill was under consideration in the Rio de Janeiro City Council<\/a> at the time. According to the Federal Police, Marielle’s murder is linked to her advocacy for access to land by low-income citizens<\/a> in line with Brazil’s constitutional recognition of the social function of land<\/a>. Marielle was also against land grabs and the militias’ clandestine land allotments<\/a>, demanding that public institutions such as the Land and Cartography Institute of the State of Rio de Janeiro (ITERJ<\/a>) and Rio’s Public Defenders<\/a>\u2019 Land and Housing Nucleus (NUTH<\/a>) take a leading role in investigating these land practices.
\n<\/em><\/h5>\n

She Died Because She Believed in Land Rights and the Right to the Favela!<\/h3>\n

It has been six years of frustration and demands for an efficient and conclusive investigation to answer the question: who ordered the assassination of Marielle and Anderson, and why?<\/em><\/p>\n

As city councilwoman, Marielle Franco catalyzed the debate on housing and land rights. During her short term, she spearheaded the collective effort<\/a> to introduce the concept of the Right to the Favela<\/em><\/a>. In 2017, her office brought together 300 people at the Mar\u00e9 Museum<\/a> for the 1st Right to the Favela Summit<\/a>. Several topics were discussed, including the right to housing and land.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The first Right to the Favela Summit, held in the Complexo da Mar\u00e9 in 2017. Photo: Personal Archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The right to housing<\/a> is enshrined in the Brazilian Constitution, specifically in Article Six<\/a>, which establishes the social rights of all Brazilians. The right to adequate housing was established by the United Nations<\/a> and encompasses several elements, such as access to urban services, suitable location, affordability, and security of tenure. Secure tenure concerns the right to remain in one\u2019s place of residence and is closely related to land regularization<\/a> policies.<\/p>\n

Rio de Janeiro faces a historic housing deficit<\/a> of about 500,000 homes despite being Brazil\u2019s second-wealthiest state. This backdrop sets the stage for Bill 174\/2016, introduced by then-Councilman Chiquinho Braz\u00e3o, which relaxed requirements for land allotment regularization and irregular construction in neighborhoods with a strong presence of vigilante, off-duty police militias. While initially appearing to address a genuine demand from low-income residents in irregularly-occupied areas, the bill ultimately benefited militia activities. This is because militia groups saw this legalization as an incentive to escalate their promotion of clandestine real estate development.<\/p>\n

Marielle took a public stance against the bill, arguing it would not provide residents of socioeconomically vulnerable areas with adequate housing, but rather exacerbate their vulnerability. Furthermore, the bill would ultimately produce medium- or high-income real estate ventures<\/a> developed by militias<\/a>\u2014the primary beneficiaries of Chiquinho Braz\u00e3o’s bill. Initially supported by City Hall<\/a> during Mayor Marcelo Crivella<\/a>\u2019s administration, public pressure and media exposure<\/a> linking the initiative to the militias forced Crivella to veto the bill. However, the veto was overturned by parliamentarians, resulting in the legalization of 149 neighborhoods that lacked proper planning<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Councilwoman<\/a>
Councilwoman Marielle Franco during a public hearing at the Rio de Janeiro City Council.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marielle and other opposition councilors denounced that the bill would favor land grabbing, urban expansion in areas meant for environmental conservation<\/a>, and the construction and sale of irregular properties by militias<\/a>, rather than the development and regularization of favelas. This illegal and mafia-like real estate chain<\/a> does not operate in the shadows. Militia gangs offer these properties through real estate agencies, even offering the possibility of financing them by the militia itself<\/a>. Eventually, the Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit resulting in the law being declared unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

In addition to the environmental cost<\/a>, these constructions do not comply with safety standards<\/a> and put residents\u2019 lives at risk<\/a>. Unlike favelas\u2014where houses are generally built over several years, in accordance with the needs of families, and by locals with experience in building on that terrain and topography\u2014militia-run real estate developments are purely black market-driven, generating hastily-built units with dubious and inadequate materials, and precarious labor. Their last concern is resident safety. Besides the evident profit from the real estate market, militias also gain new regions for extortion through the creation of new neighborhoods, gated communities, and housing complexes.<\/p>\n

According to the Federal Police investigation, the Mar\u00e9 councilwoman’s vote against the bill made Chiquinho Braz\u00e3o deeply discontent<\/a>. According to the investigation, this is what led Chiquinho and Domingos Braz\u00e3o, along with the former chief of Civil Police, to orchestrate the assassination of Councilwoman Marielle Franco.<\/p>\n