Family members of the murdered municipal secretary reported receiving threats from a criminal faction leader demanding political influence to reduce police activity in their city.
Ricardo Abreu Barroso, the municipal secretary of Administration for São Luís do Curu, was shot and killed last Thursday, and his family has informed the police that they had been threatened by a leader of the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) criminal organization. This leader allegedly pressured the family to use their political influence to curb police actions in the city, indicating significant tensions between local authorities and organized crime.
The investigation into Barroso's murder has uncovered that the assassination was orchestrated by Wesley Pereira Balbino, also known as 'Guaxinim,' who is a key figure in the local drug trafficking scene. He is believed to have directed the plot from Rio de Janeiro, where he is currently evading arrest. Balbino's control over local criminals highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in maintaining order against well-established criminal organizations like Comando Vermelho.
Between 2024 and 2025, several criminals under Balbino's command were apprehended in São Luís do Curu, prompting him and his brother, Uesclei Pereira Balbino, known as 'Gringo,' to leave the area due to increased police pressure. The murder of Barroso signals a dangerous escalation in the ongoing conflict between organized crime and authorities, raising alarms about the safety of public officials in regions plagued by drug-related violence.
