IBGE gives good news to the governor of Minas Gerais.
Finally, some relief for public safety in Minas Gerais, which underwent a change of secretary and allegations of data omission earlier this year. Research from IBGE reveals a drop in the number of homicides, placing the state among the four least violent in the country. Despite this, the goal set by the WHO remains distant.
Mines 247 – A headache for the governor of Minas Gerais, Antonio Anastasia (PSDB), in recent months, the state's public security can finally celebrate something. According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Minas Gerais is the fourth Brazilian state with the lowest homicide rate. Behind only Piauí, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo, Minas Gerais registers a rate of 18,7 cases per 100 inhabitants. The numbers also show a reduction in deaths compared to the last study. In 2007, 20,9 homicides were recorded for every 100 inhabitants.
The news came at an opportune time. Public safety has been considered a major headache for the governor of Minas Gerais. In March, Lafayette Andrada was dismissed from his position as Secretary of Social Defense (Seds). Suspected of withholding data, Andrada, a state deputy appointed to the position as part of the PSDB party's quota, was replaced by public prosecutor Rômulo de Carvalho, a name with a more technical profile for the post. Simultaneously, the government prepared a package of measures to try to reduce crime in the state.
Although it performs well compared to other Brazilian states, Minas Gerais is still far from ideal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the acceptable rate is ten homicides per 100 people, almost half of what is recorded in the state.
By the way: the state of Alagoas has the worst rate, with 59,3 deaths, followed by Espírito Santo, with 56,9, and Pernambuco, with 44,9.