The Ministry of Justice will demobilize the National Force in the search operation for the two fugitives from the federal prison in Mossoró (RN). The focus will now be on intelligence actions to try to capture Deibson Nascimento and Rogério Mendonça, who escaped from the maximum-security unit on 14 February and have been on the run for 44 days.
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Arrival of the National Force
The National Force arrived in the Mossoró region on 23 February, with 111 men and 20 vehicles. Their work was extended in March and will close on Friday 29 March. The idea is that the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) will maintain the hunt with the support of the Military and Civil Police of Rio Grande do Norte.
Cost
The cost of using the National Force in Mossoró was around 1.3 million just with daily payments to National Force agents.
New Phase
In this new phase of the operation, the authorities are betting that, by tracking the movement of members of the local Red Command, it will be possible to reach the two fugitives. Investigations indicate that they are receiving help from residents of the region after the Rio de Janeiro faction mobilized a support network in favor of the duo.
Procedure Failure
The two prisoners spent at least 30 days without searching their cells. The internal affairs department of the National Secretariat for Penal Policies (Senappen) opened an investigation against 10 civil servants. The escape was the result of several procedural failures.
Marielle Case
Two months after taking office, Minister Ricardo Lewandowski is betting on the Marielle Franco case to try to reduce government strain in the area of public security and reverse the negative impact of prisoners escaping from the federal penitentiary system. The arrest carried out by the Federal Police of those responsible for the murders of the councilwoman and driver Anderson Gomes is seen as a chance to turn a new page at a time when operations in Mossoró (RN) are changing strategy.
Lack of Confidence
Data from a Quaest survey released in November 2023, when the Ministry of Justice was commanded by Flávio Dino, showed a worsening in Brazilians’ perception of violence in the first year of President Lula’s administration. For 79% of those interviewed, violence in the country has increased. There was a tie in the evaluation of the president’s work in public security concerning his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro (43% think it is better and 43%, worse).
Analysis:
The decision by the Ministry of Justice to demobilize the National Force in the search operation for fugitives from the Mossoró federal prison, opting to prioritize intelligence actions, reveals a strategic change that seeks to improve the effectiveness of the search for the criminals.
This is because the work of the National Force in the Mossoró region represents a considerable effort on the part of the authorities, but it comes at a significant cost and raises questions about the efficiency of the use of these resources and the need for a careful analysis of the allocation of personnel and funds.
Data from the Quaest survey on the perception of violence in the country highlights the relevance of understanding the impact of security policies on public opinion. This perception not only influences the legitimacy of the measures adopted by the authorities but can also affect the population’s trust in the institutions responsible for public security.
