Perspective
Military Rule in Rio's Favelas: What Marielle Franco Died Fighting
Following the beloved politician’s murder, residents of Brazil’s favelas have taken to the streets for days to protest her death and the danger faced by favela residents living under military control.
“For Marielle, I say no!
I say no to intervention!”
Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people have chanted these words in Rio de Janeiro since Marielle Franco, a first-term city councilor here, was killed last week.
Almost every day since her death on March 14, protestors have taken to the streets, shutting down highways and downtown thoroughfares, holding candlelight vigils, and covering the Chamber of City Councilors with slogans and red handprints, as well as with stenciled likenesses of Franco, a black, queer woman from the Maré complex of favelas.