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| Marielle Franco | |
|---|---|
| Name | Marielle Franco |
| Birth date | 27 July 1979 |
| Birth place | Rio de Janeiro |
| Death date | 14 March 2018 |
| Death place | Rio de Janeiro |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Occupation | Politician, sociologist, activist |
| Party | PSOL |
| Known for | Human rights advocacy, LGBT rights, favelas activism |
Marielle Franco was a Brazilian politician, sociologist, feminist, and human rights activist from Rio de Janeiro. She served as a city councillor for the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro and became nationally prominent for her work on police violence, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. Her assassination in March 2018 sparked widespread protests, international condemnation, and renewed scrutiny of law enforcement and political violence in Brazil.
Born in Maré in Rio de Janeiro on 27 July 1979, she was raised in a favela and experienced poverty and racial discrimination common in Complexo da Maré and similar communities like Rocinha and Complexo do Alemão. She attended public schools in Brazil and later studied social sciences, earning a degree in sociology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Early influences included community organizers from Movimento Negro Unificado and leaders associated with Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra and Pastoral da Criança. Her formative years intersected with social movements in Rio de Janeiro State and drew attention from scholars of Afro-Brazilian history and activists linked to Casa das Pretas.
She joined the PSOL, aligning with figures such as Vladimir Safatle and colleagues in municipal politics. Elected to the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro in 2016, she worked alongside councillors from parties like PT and PSDB on commissions addressing public safety and human rights. Her legislative initiatives engaged institutions such as the Brazilian Public Prosecutor's Office and municipal bodies tied to Secretaria de Assistência Social. She participated in dialogues with representatives from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and contributed to hearings involving leaders from United Nations Human Rights Council delegations and NGOs including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Her activism connected her to networks across Brazil and internationally, collaborating with activists from Black Lives Matter, feminist organizations like Marcha das Mulheres Negras, LGBTQ+ groups such as Grupo Gay da Bahia, and academic centers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She spoke on issues involving police operations in favelas, confronting authorities including officials from the Bope and policies associated with governors of Rio de Janeiro (state). She supported housing campaigns linked to Pastoral da Terra and human rights litigation in courts including the Supremo Tribunal Federal. Her advocacy drew attention from journalists at outlets like O Globo, Folha de S.Paulo, The New York Times, BBC News, and international commentators from The Guardian and Le Monde.
On 14 March 2018 she was assassinated in central Rio de Janeiro alongside her driver, a killing that prompted responses from the National Congress (Brazil), the State Court of Rio de Janeiro, and international bodies including the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Initial police investigations involved the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro and later attracted federal attention from the Federal Police (Brazil). Arrests and charges implicated individuals with alleged ties to local militias and members of security forces, prompting legal actions in courts such as the Trial Court of Rio de Janeiro and appeals to the Superior Court of Justice (Brazil). The case spurred debates in the Supreme Federal Court (Brazil) about witness protection and investigations into political violence connected to elections in Brazilian general election, 2018.
Her death ignited nationwide protests in cities including São Paulo, Brasília, Salvador, and drew solidarity from international capitals like Washington, D.C., London, Paris, and Lisbon. Memorials and cultural tributes invoked artists and institutions such as Anitta, Caetano Veloso, Elza Soares, and galleries in Museu de Arte do Rio and street murals across Rio de Janeiro. Legislative initiatives and commemorations included proposals in the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro, mentions in sessions of the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), and awards posthumously granted by civic organizations and universities such as the Federal University of Minas Gerais and University of São Paulo. Her name became a rallying point for movements including Movimento Negro, LGBT rights in Brazil, and international human rights coalitions, influencing discourse around police reform, electoral violence, and intersectional activism across Latin America.
Category:1979 births Category:2018 deaths Category:People from Rio de Janeiro (city) Category:Brazilian politicians Category:Brazilian activists