Taxi drivers ask the governor for more security.
The deaths of three taxi drivers in a single early morning in Porto Alegre have sparked outrage among taxi drivers, resulting in a large protest outside the governor's residence this Saturday, the 30th. Governor Tarso Genro met with the protesters and pledged to evaluate their demands, which include increased security and new approaches during police checkpoints. Police are investigating the three deaths but have already indicated signs of robbery followed by murder.
The newsroom On the 21 - A protest by taxi drivers in front of the home of Rio Grande do Sul governor Tarso Genro (PT), which took place early Saturday morning, the 30th, opened a process of debate between the government and the taxi drivers to improve preventive police actions at night in Porto Alegre. More than one hundred protesters were at the governor's house, located in the Rio Branco neighborhood. The mobilization was motivated by the death of at least three taxi drivers during the early morning hours.
According to the newspaper Zero Hora, in 90 minutes, three taxi drivers were executed with shots to the head in the northern zone of the capital. After the murders of Eduardo Ferreira Haas and Cláudio Gomes, it was confirmed that Edson Roberto Loureiro Borges, whose body was found at 1:50 am on Rua dos Nautas, in Vila Ipiranga, also belonged to the taxi drivers' association. A little over half an hour later, taxi driver Eduardo Ferreira Haas, 26 years old, was found dead with gunshot wounds to the head on Rua São Jerônimo, in the Passo da Areia neighborhood. The car was located at 8 am on Rua Mata Bacelar, in the Auxiliadora neighborhood, with bloodstains on the back seat. The car radio and documents were missing.
In the third case, Cláudio Gomes' body was found next to his taxi at 3:20 AM in the Mario Quintana neighborhood. According to police chief Odival Soares, the money from the taxi driver's wallet was missing, an indication that reinforces the line of investigation regarding robbery. The deaths outraged his colleagues. At 5:45 AM, about 50 taxi drivers blocked Avenida Ipiranga in both directions, around the Civil Police Palace. In the heat of the protests, one of the demonstrators called on the group to go to Tarso's house in the Rio Branco neighborhood.
The group was received by the governor. During the conversation, the taxi drivers presented their demands and suggested new locations and methods for approaching professional drivers during police checkpoints conducted by the Military Police. Tarso Genro stated that he will technically analyze, together with the top officials of public security, whether the measures can contribute to reducing violence against taxi drivers. "If the checkpoints are being set up in inappropriate places, the locations of the checkpoints need to be changed."
The governor also said that passengers in the vehicles should also be searched. After analyzing the issues, Tarso guaranteed that in the coming days he will summon the taxi drivers to discuss the measures that will be adopted. At the end of the meeting, the governor was applauded by the taxi drivers and advised that future demonstrations should take place at the Piratini Palace, to protect the residents of the neighborhood.
** With information from Zero Hora and Palácio Piratini