Brazil remembers slain politician 1 year after her death
Posted March 14, 2019 8:19 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Commemorations to mark the one-year anniversary of the assassination of a black city councilwoman are underway in Rio de Janeiro.
Marielle Franco and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were gunned down in central Rio on the evening of March 14, 2018. Their killing sparked widespread protests in a country where more than 50 per cent of people identify as black or mixed-race.
Events paying homage to Franco’s life Thursday include a sunrise vigil, a church service, poetry readings and an evening protest. Many are also celebrating the black, female politicians who ran for office and won during October elections.
Several of them had been on Franco’s staff.
Two former police officers have been arrested for the murders, but activists are still clamouring for answers about who ordered the hit and why.
Associated Press, The Associated Press
