The wave of violence that has hit the streets and jails of the
state of Sao Paulo, Brazil's wealthiest province, has now killed 52
people, injured 53, the Public Security Ministry of Sao Paulo state
said on Sunday.
The rioting was triggered on Friday night by a decision to move
gang leaders, according to the Ministry. It includes more than
100attacks on police patrols across Sao Paulo city and riots in the
state's 36 prisons, which house 40 percent of Brazil's 140,000
prisoners.
The 52 dead are 35 public order officers -- including officers
from the National Guard, Metropolitan Guard of Sao Paulo, police
and prison officers -- 14 suspected gang members and three
civilians.
The injured are 24 National Guard officers, five police, five
Metropolitan Guard, two prison officers, eight civilians and six
suspected gang members.
Jose Vicente da Silva, former national public security minister,
told the press that Sao Paulo lacked a smart intelligence service
and said that the state intelligence service should have
anticipated these things with enough time for the necessary
counter-measures to be taken.
(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2006)
