Well this happened a month ago, but I am happy to see US news picking up on it... better late than never. Judge Patricia Acioli, known as an advocate against police corruption, was assassinated by militiamen (basically off-duty police officers) in Rio de Janeiro. According to the story, militiamen "usurp the authority of the state. In this way, they are a danger that goes deeper than drug traffickers." I have to disagree. The militia does not usurp the authority of the state, but rather, they fill in a vacuum left by years of state neglect. I do agree that the militia is worse than the traffickers. The traffickers at least live by a code of conduct and they live in the communities where they work, whereas the militias enter a community, act with impunity, then go back to their homes and jobs (as police, firefighters, private security, even members of congress).
For example, when I visited a favela in Niterói I was told before hand not to use my camera because it would make me a target for robbery or worse. When I arrived at the school I was visiting the director told me that it was now safe to use my camera anywhere in the favela because the traffickers had arrived from Complexo Alemão after fleeing the police/military invasion and occupation. The traffickers instill a strict law to keep their territory safe for potential customers. Outbursts of violence usually only occur when rival gangs or police try to invade the territory.
Does this mean that the traffickers are good? Of course not. But I do agree that when comparing traffickers and militia, traffickers are the better of the two evils. Also, the UPP has been able to enter and occupy favelas controlled by drug gangs, but have been unable to occupy favelas controlled by the militia. Fortunately the government seems to finally be fighting corruption at the federal, state, and local levels. It will be interesting to see how all of this progresses.
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