Politics

Who killed Marielle Franco? Six months later, no answers

Marielle Franco, 38, a councilwoman for the city of Rio de Janeiro, was on her way home from mediating a debate when her car was cut off by a silver Chevrolet Cobalt, which had been following her for around 4 kilometers. Thirteen gunshots were then fired from the Cobalt. Four of them hit Marielle, three on the head and one on the neck, killing her instantly. Marielle’s driver, Anderson Gomes, 39, was also killed, being shot in the back three times. The Cobalt fled the scene, without stealing any of Marielle or Anderson’s belongings.

News of Marielle’s death shook Brazil, and whether it was on social media, printed on leaflets or scrawled on a wall in paint, the country was asking the same question: “Who Killed Marielle Franco?” Marielle and Anderson were murdered on March 14, six months ago today, in Estácio, central Rio de Janeiro. No-one has been arrested in connection with the crime, we still do not know who killed Marielle.

All indications show that the killing of Marielle Franco was a political assassination. A...

Euan Marshall

Originally from Scotland, Euan Marshall traded Glasgow for São Paulo in 2011. Specializing in Brazilian soccer, politics, and the connection between the two, he authored a comprehensive history of Brazilian soccer entitled “A to Zico: An Alphabet of Brazilian Football.”

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