Special Issue on the Targeting of Local Officials: Brazil

Analysis, Special Issue
The targeting of local officials in Brazil is more pervasive and deadly at the municipal level in all scenarios, and heightened during local elections. Ongoing investigations on the interference of organized crime in the latest election in the states of Piauí and Rio de Janeiro points to continuous involvement of gangs and militias in the elections. Heading into the 2024 municipal elections, heightened tensions stoked by national politics and the collusive relationship between organized criminal groups and some local authorities are likely to amplify existing party tensions and exacerbate local political rivalries.