The government and the Workers' Party (PT) believe the population will form a critical opinion about the massacre that occurred in Rio de Janeiro.
Reports of abuse and the deaths of innocent people will reverse public opinion.
247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's recent change of tone, describing the police operation in Rio de Janeiro as a "massacre," marks a shift in the federal government's stance on the episode. According to allies, the reaction was the result of days of internal debate about the best way to address the issue, the column reports. Dashboard dthe Folha de S.Paulo.
Within the Workers' Party (PT) and the government, the assessment is that initial public support for the operation is likely to weaken over time, as more details emerge about the conduct of police actions. Members of the base believe that public opinion will become more sensitive to the excesses and deaths of civilians who had no involvement with drug trafficking.
As part of their response strategy, PT (Workers' Party) leaders have sought to establish a counterpoint between the actions of the Rio de Janeiro police, under the command of Governor Cláudio Castro (PL), and a recent operation in Bahia, conducted by the government of Jerônimo Rodrigues (PT). In that action, aimed at confronting the Comando Vermelho (Red Command), the result was 37 arrests and only one death. The party presents this result as an example of a planned operation based on intelligence.
Behind the scenes, the presidential palace believes the narrative surrounding the Rio de Janeiro incident could change in the medium term, especially if investigations reveal irregularities or if police lethality continues to be questioned by human rights organizations. Meanwhile, the government is trying to balance defending public safety with preserving Lula's image among the more progressive sectors of his base.
