SAO PAULO FACES DAY 2 OF PRE-FATHER'S DAY JITTERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAO PAULO 000869

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/WHA, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC, WHA/BSC
NSC FOR FEARS
DEA FOR OEL/DESANTIS AND NIRL/LEHRER
DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/PDA, DRL/PHD, INL, DS/IP/WHA, DS/DSS/ITA
BRASILIA FOR RSO AND LEGAT; RIO DE JANEIRO FOR RSO
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM CASC ASEC SNAR SOCI BR
SUBJECT: SAO PAULO FACES DAY 2 OF PRE-FATHER'S DAY JITTERS

REF: (A) SAO PAULO 865; (B) SAO PAULO 771; (C) SAO PAULO 573; (D)

SAO PAULO 742

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The dawn of Tuesday, August 8, marked Day Two
of the third wave of PCC violence in Sao Paulo State since May (ref
A). Metropolitan Sao Paulo was spared from attacks overnight, but
cities scattered throughout Sao Paulo state suffered from homemade
bomb and Molotov cocktail attacks on municipal buildings, shots
fired at police, and buses lit afire. Four suspects were killed
among the various incidents. A grenade was found by city workers at
the entrance to a tunnel of a major artery passing through the heart
of Sao Paulo during rush hour, but this was detonated by the police
bomb squad with no injury or damage. The official tally from two
days of violence (August 7 and 8) topped 100 attacks against over
100 targets in more than 20 cities around Sao Paulo state. State
government officials were quoted Tuesday afternoon as confirming
that some 11,000 inmates will be released on furlough for Father's
Day weekend. Post held an Emergency Action Committee (EAC) meeting
on Tuesday morning to review the situation and our security posture
(septel). END SUMMARY.

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DAY TWO: PCC FOCUSES ON SAO PAULO STATE INTERIOR
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2. (SBU) Elements of the organized crime gang First Capital
Command (PCC) orchestrated a second round of assaults on government
and private sector targets in the early morning of Tuesday, August
8, in what is being called the Third Wave of attacks since May
(reftels). Tuesday's attacks took place almost exclusively outside
of metropolitan Sao Paulo, in cities ranging from 60 to 300 miles
from the state capital. Homemade bombs and Molotov cocktails were
thrown at municipal buildings and shots were fired at police
facilities. One church was lit afire, but it lies immediately
adjacent to the mayor's office of the city, and the same group is
suspected of starting the fire and throwing a bomb at the municipal
building. Both situations were quickly controlled by public safety
officials. At least one bus and one bank outlet were also hit by
incendiary devices. Four suspects were killed by police in the
course of failed attacks within greater Sao Paulo. State officials
registered 80 attacks against 100 targets in 18 cities on Monday,
August 7, bringing the total number of attacks over two days to more
than 100. (NOTE: We have information regarding an incident in
recent days involving a Molotov cocktail and graffiti targeting a
synagogue in the city of Campinas, 60 miles north of Sao Paulo. At
this time that incident seems unrelated to the PCC-led attacks
described herein and reftel. Likewise, we have no information at
this time that the attack on the church described above was rooted
in any anti-religious or ethnic motivation. END NOTE)


3. (SBU) While no attacks occurred within Sao Paulo proper
overnight Tuesday, rush hour was disrupted when a grenade was found
near the entrance to a tunnel along Avenida Nove de Julho, a major
artery connecting various parts of the city. The tunnel is located
in the heart of the city, near the location of the previous
Consulate General building, and the edge of the neighborhood where
nearly half of the Consulate's American staff and their families
live. Early press reports indicate the grenade was of a type used
exclusively in Brazil by the Brazilian Army. A police special
tactics team detonated the device without injury or damage.
Although the grenade was found with its pin still in place, early
reports are calling it an attempt by criminals to blow up the
tunnel, perhaps due to the device's placement near a fountain under
repair, which stands at the entrance to the tunnel. This tunnel not
only constitutes part of the busy Nove de Julho thoroughfare, but
also crosses directly under the equally busy and important Avenida
Paulista in the heart of Sao Paulo's financial district.

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HOME FOR FATHER'S DAY, FROM PRISON

SAO PAULO 00000869 002 OF 002


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4. (SBU) As reported yesterday (ref A),under Brazilian law, state
authorities must temporarily release many inmates confined in
minimum security facilities ("semi-aberto," or "semi-open") in
conjunction with five holidays per year. Sao Paulo state officials
confirmed to press on Tuesday afternoon that some 11,000 inmates are
expected to be released for the coming weekend, during which
Father's Day is celebrated in Brazil. It was the release of 12,000
inmates for Mother's Day in May that helped spread the violence that
began in the state's most notorious prisons to the streets of Sao
Paulo, culminating in 44 police officers and some 120 suspected PCC
members killed during the course of seven nights of street battles
(refs B and C). This occurred even though furlough can be denied to
prisoners who have been listed as affiliated with the PCC by prison
officials.


5. (SBU) Interestingly, during the Father's Day holiday of 2005,
only 7.3 percent of the released inmates did not return to prison as
required. However, given the massive prison population of Sao Paulo
state, this percentage equated to 808 prisoners of the 11,087
released. 965 of 12,645 prisoners, or 7.6 percent, did not return
after the Mother's Day holiday furlough in May 2006.


6. (SBU) Union representatives for the state's prison guards are
warning members to stay away from public places this week,
especially over the weekend. Prison guards are also being told to
vary their routines to lessen their risk of being attacked by
prisoners on furlough. In July, prison guards were the victims of
reprisal killings at the hands of the PCC; five were killed and
several more targeted while off-duty at their homes or nearby (ref
D).

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COMMENT: PREPARING FOR THE WEEKEND
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7. (SBU) COMMENT: Tuesday's announcement by state government
officials that the prisoner release will happen on Father's Day
pursuant to law and custom may have been intended for two effects:
1) to prepare the public for the possibility of yet another wave of
violence led by the PCC, and 2) to signal to the PCC that the
furloughs will not be suspended, thus effectively negotiating an end
to the attacks of Monday and Tuesday that many suspect were in
reaction to rumors that the furloughs might be cancelled (ref A).
Post held an EAC meeting Tuesday morning to review the situation and
the CONGEN's security posture (septel). END COMMENT.

MCMULLEN