The escalation of violence along the São Paulo coast, marked by a cycle of police killings and large-scale operations that have left dozens of victims, reveals the depth of a long-standing conflict over control of the region that hosts Latin America’s largest port. The latest chapter in this instability came on Monday (15/09), with the brutal execution of former Chief of Police Ruy Ferraz Fontes in Praia Grande. The retired officer was known for his determined fight against the First Capital Command (PCC), Brazil’s most powerful criminal organization, and his murder underscores the risks faced by those who once led efforts against organized crime.
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The Crime
Ruy Ferraz Fontes, who also served as Secretary of Administration in Praia Grande, was ambushed and killed while driving. According to the Military Police, assailant stepped out of another vehicle and fired at least 21 rifle shots at his car. Fontes, who served more than four decades in the Civil Police, was Chief of Police of São Paulo from 2019 to 2022. Over the years, he commanded divisions such as DEIC, DENARC, Homicide, and DECAP, building a reputation as one of the leading figures in the fight against organized crime. He was especially recognized for pioneering investigations into the PCC at a time when the faction was consolidating its power.
Death Juries
Authorities are investigating whether the PCC ordered Fontes’ execution, given his history of confronting the gang. Since the early 2000s, the faction had marked him and other prosecutors and police officers for death, after authorities began dismantling its leadership and placing members under strict disciplinary regimes in maximum-security prisons. Ruy, who had played a central role in these transfers, was placed on the PCC’s death list more than two decades ago. Investigators now fear that the gang may have carried out a long-delayed threat as part of its ongoing retaliation against those who worked to limit its influence.
Third Case
Fontes’ murder represents the third killing of a public servant directly involved in combating organized crime in São Paulo over the last 22 years. In 2003, judge Antonio José Machado Dias, known as “Machadinho,” was murdered in Presidente Prudente after declining police protection. Two years later, in 2005, José Ismael Pedrosa, the former director of the Carandiru Detention Center, was executed in Taubaté, where he lived after retirement. With the death of Fontes, debate has resurfaced on how vulnerable authorities remain even after leaving office, as criminal factions appear determined to settle old scores.
More Recent Tensions
Tensions in Baixada Santista escalated again in 2023 after the killing of ROTA soldier Patrick Reis, a member of São Paulo’s elite military police unit. In response, the state launched Operations Escudo and Verão, which resulted in dozens of deaths but also sparked criticism from experts, who argue that these operations exposed the entrenched power of organized crime rather than significantly weakening it. The cycle of violence has since continued, with authorities struggling to balance strong police responses against the risk of inflaming conflict further.
Drug Exports
The PCC’s dominance in the region is closely tied to the Port of Santos, its most strategic stronghold. The gang operates much like a logistics company, importing drugs from Andean countries and exporting them to Europe, Africa, and Asia. Santos’ immense cargo traffic makes it an ideal hub for these operations. This focus on the port dates to the early 2000s, when the PCC began expanding its influence on international trafficking. One of the architects of this expansion was André Oliveira Macedo, known as “André do Rap.” Beyond its military capacity, the gang’s strategy also involves extensive corruption, including bribing officials to gain access to sensitive shipping information.
Analysis:
The murder of former Chief of Police Ruy Ferraz Fontes exposes both the persistence and the brutality of the conflict between the state and organized crime in São Paulo. His execution, likely ordered by the PCC, demonstrates how the group’s capacity for retaliation extends beyond immediate confrontations, reaching even retired authorities who once played central roles in dismantling its structures.
The event also shows the resilience of the PCC, whose control over the Port of Santos gives it international reach and a constant source of financial power. Despite successive police operations, the gang continues to operate as a sophisticated criminal enterprise, combining coercion with corruption to secure its position.
Fontes’ assassination should serve as a warning of the long memory and deep-rooted power of criminal factions in Brazil, reinforcing the need for more comprehensive strategies that integrate intelligence, institutional protection, and international cooperation to weaken the PCC’s influence both locally and globally.
