Brazilian Senate Installs Crime CPI, Elects Contarato as Chair After Deadly Rio Raid

Overview

• Fabiano Contarato won the chair in a secret 6–5 vote, with Hamilton Mourão chosen as vice-president and Alessandro Vieira named rapporteur.
• Vieira presented an initial work plan and filed requests to hear state governors, security secretaries, and the ministers José Múcio (Defense) and Ricardo Lewandowski (Justice).
• Contarato pledged a technical inquiry focused on following the money and assessing institutional responsibility tied to the recent Rio operation that left 121 dead, including four police officers.
• Mourão outlined priorities that include probing alleged NGO involvement, money laundering, arms in traffickers’ hands, political infiltration by criminal groups, and the potential role of the Armed Forces.
• The Chamber’s Security Committee also moved to summon the justice minister, underscoring parallel political pressure around federal security policy.