Senate approves decree ordering federal intervention in Rio

                                                                                                                                                                                           Jonas Pereira/Agência Senado

After approval by the Chamber of Deputies, the federal intervention decree was ratified by the Senate on Tuesday (20) in Rio de Janeiro, after a plenary session with 55 votes in favour, 13 against and one abstention. President Michel Temer signed the decree last Friday (16), nominating General Walter Braga Netto as intervenor for the public security area in the state.

For the rapporteur of the decree in the Senate, Senator Eduardo Lopes (PRB-RJ), the state of public security in Rio is worrisome. "The situation is not exclusive to Rio de Janeiro; there is violence in other states. But Rio has more repercussions, domestically and internationally," he said. "The situation is serious, so I am entirely in favour of federal intervention.”