PRIEST SLAIN IN RIO DE JANEIRO

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002011

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI BR
SUBJECT: PRIEST SLAIN IN RIO DE JANEIRO

REF: RIO DE JANEIRO 548


1. (U) SUMMARY. Paulo Henrique Keler, a Catholic priest and
advocate for Baixada Fluminense massacre victims, was
murdered in Rio de Janeiro city on July 25. Brazilian police
officials do not believe that the priest's involvement in the
Baixada Fluminense case led to his murder. However, recent
events suggest that criminal elements are trying to sabotage
the trial of 11 military police officers charged in the mass
killing. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On July 25, Catholic priest Paulo Henrique Keler
Machado was shot to death in the greater Rio de Janeiro
municipality of Nova Iguacu. Local police detectives believe
that the murder was a crime of passion or the result of an
armed robbery, but church officials believe that Machado was
executed because he fought publicly in support of 29 victims
killed in the March Baixada Fluminense massacre (Note: Per
reftel, on March 31, a death squad composed of Brazilian
military police invaded two municipalities in Rio de
Janeiro's Baixada Fluminense district and killed 29 people in
drive-by shootings. End note). The mayor of Nova Iguacu
declared three days of official mourning for Machado, and the
NGO Global Justice asked the Special Secretariat of Human
Rights (SEDH) to launch an independent investigation into
Machado's death. (Note: On July 26, Rio poloff spoke to
Nelson Bornier, Federal Deputy and former mayor of Nova
Iguacu. Bornier stated that he is certain that Machado was
not murdered due to his involvement in the Baixada Fluminense
massacre case. End Note.)


3. (U) Although Machado's murder may not be linked to the
Baixada Fluminense massacre, other events suggest a
coordinated effort to intimidate and silence those
participating in the massacre trial. On July 16 police
officer Roberto Cardoso, a principal investigator in the
case, was nearly killed when two men on a motorcycle pulled
up next to his car and fired at him. According to police
hotline information, unnamed suspects are plotting another
attack against Cardoso. In May and June it was discovered
that military police officers allegedly involved in the
massacre used cellular phones while in jail to call and
intimidate witnesses scheduled to testify in the case.


4. (U) ConGen Rio contributed to and cleared this cable.

LINEHAN