Fábio Oliva
The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism has informed that on October 21, 2009, Brazilian journalist Fábio Oliva, editor of the newspaper Folha do Norte in Januária city in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, was assaulted at Montes Claros airport.
According to Oliva, the former secretary of the Januária city hall treasury, Fabrício Viana, swore at the journalist and punched and kicked him. Oliva had written a report accusing Viana of fraud in a bidding process.
The journalist was walking toward the airport taxi stop, when Viana came at him from behind and called Oliva by his name. “When I turned around, it was Viana. He swore at me and then punched and kicked me,” said Oliva.
An airport guard prevented the two from getting into a skirmish. “I asked the guard to hold him, that I was calling the police. Viana got away from the guard, and fled away in a car,” said Oliva. (more…)
The Civilian police in Brazil, in a raid that counted on more than 9,000 policemen, arrested this Thursday, October 29, 2,191 people. Operation Genesis held to fight crime in all 645 municipalities of the southeastern state of São Paulo and complying with warrants of arrest and apprehension, seized 494 vehicles, 112 weapons and more than 100 kg (220 lbs) of drugs.
The action that started at midnight and continued through the day, resulted in the arrest in flagrante delicto of 509 people plus 1,601 who had a warrant for their capture. Among those detained there were 81 jail escapees. 170 teenagers were also caught, but they were not included in the number of arrested since they will have special treatment.
The police, which used about one third of its work force in the operation, seized 57.33 kg (126 lbs) of marijuana, 23.16 kg (51 lbs) of cocaine, 18.59 kg (41 lbs) of crack and 3.26 kg of (7.2 lbs) of several other drugs. The agents also found 345 slot machines and 3,153,554 objects called “irregular” by the authorities, many of them pirated goods.
In São Paulo city the police found a clandestine casino in Moema, a well-to-do neighborhood on the south side of town. 29 slot machines were seized there. Three men were also arrested in Moema accused of robbing people who had just withdrawn money from bank ATMs. (more…)
