Brazil: Continues conflict between the Police and the Army while insecurity grows

Brazil, February 8, 2012

Jaques Wagner, Governor of San Salvador de Bahia, said that the failure to negotiate with the Police on strike is related to fragmentation of the group because some accepted the progressive increase in wages, while others continued to demand clemency for the 12 leaders that had an arrest warrant issued against them. 

The Government offered a gradual rise in wages, but did not show likely to accept the pardon, which was requested by the Justice.

After seven days of strike, the death toll from the violence reached 115 people, while the city prepares to welcome thousands of tourists for the carnival in twenty days.

On the other hand, social networks started a rumor about the cancellation of the carnival, which was later denied by local authorities. However, the police strike and the confrontation with the Army together with the waves of looting and killing left a decrease of 10% of reservations, according to the newspaper A Tarde.

“So far, about 10% of bookings were canceled. Several people who were coming to spend the Carnival in Salvador, due to the strike, decided to visit other states” said the president of the Bahian Agents Travel, Pedro Galvao.