Police try to prevent attacks in São Luís

Andreia Verdelio
Reporter from Agência Brasil

Brasilia – The Military Police of Maranhão is carrying out Operation Safe Public Transport in the state capital, São Luís, in response to the action of criminals who set fire to four buses last Friday (3). According to the Metropolitan Police commander, Lieutenant Colonel Marco Antônio Alves, six vehicles are being prepared specifically to attend to the operation.

"Following the events, we consolidated a plan and have police officers on the main bus routes, both on board and inspecting the vehicles," said Colonel Alves. He explained that the transport workers' union also indicated points in more violent areas, in addition to using statistics from the Military Police itself.

Regarding the support from the National Force to contain the wave of violence in the state, whose reinforcement of personnel was advocated by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Maranhão, Colonel Alves said that the Military Police works with planning and has been achieving its goals. "We cannot understand the issue of security as belonging to police force A or B, but we have a force that is adequate to meet the demand, and the Military Police has been achieving its objectives, in accordance with its mission."

Last Monday (6), the Union of Fuel Retailers of Maranhão issued a note instructing gas station owners throughout the state, particularly in the metropolitan region of São Luís, to suspend the sale of bulk fuels.

According to the institution's president, Orlando Santos, the union cannot prohibit the sale, but, in agreement with the PM command, the directive was sent to make access to gasoline more difficult. "It's a preventive measure, which has already generated a certain amount of peace of mind among the population and retailers," he argues.

The measure is an emergency one and will be adopted indefinitely, until gas station owners feel safe again. According to Lieutenant Colonel Alves, public safety is not the sole responsibility of security agencies: "The measure helps, and that's how we understand it, everyone doing their part," he explained. He added, "The gas stations are now complying with a national measure."

"This crisis in the prison system is present throughout Brazil; we are not talking about an isolated case in Maranhão. And the response needs to encompass all institutions, not just security agencies; it's a national mobilization, and we cannot allow certain segments to remain detached from the process," said Colonel Alves.

In 2007, the Chamber of Deputies investigated the national prison system through a parliamentary commission of inquiry (CPI), paying special attention to the problems that existed in the prisons of Maranhão. In the chapter dedicated to the state, the CPI reported in its final report, released the following year, that the state had 5.258 prisoners for only 1.716 places, with a deficit of 3.542 spaces.
Regarding the victims of the bus fire in Vila Sarney Filho, the Health Department reported that patient Márcio da Cruz Nunes, 37, who suffered burns to 72% of his body, remains in serious condition, sedated and breathing with the aid of machines. He was transferred yesterday by air ambulance to the Burn Center in Goiânia.

Patient Juliane Carvalho Santos, 22 years old, mother of the girl Ana Clara, who did not survive the burns and died on Monday (6), is being monitored and is not at risk of death. She should be transferred today in an air ambulance to Brasília, at the request of the family.

Abyancy Silva Santos, 35, remains hospitalized but is expected to be discharged by the end of the week. Lorrane Beatriz Santos, 1 year and 5 months old, Ana Clara's sister, remains hospitalized at the Juvêncio Matos State Children's Hospital, but is doing well and, like Abyancy, is expected to be discharged next week.