Brazil: Police officer strike continues in Rio Grande do Norte /update 1

Event

Thousands of civil police officers remained on strike in Rio Grande do Norte state as of Thursday, January 4. The police officers began the strike on December 19 after not receiving pay for several weeks; as of Thursday, police officers had still not received their demanded back payments for November and December 2017, or the regularly gifted "13th month" bonus. The state government recently assured striking police officers that they would receive back pay for November 2017 in the coming days. It is unclear if or when officers will receive December 2017 back pay and the "13th month" bonus.

The strike continues despite being ruled illegal by a local judge on Wednesday; in Natal, 2000 civil police officers willfully submitted themselves to arrest in protest of the ruling, although no arrests were made. Civil police officers are expected to organize additional protest actions in Rio Grande do Norte state throughout the duration of the strike.

Military police, having also participated in the strike, agreed on Wednesday to gradually return to their duties in the coming days. Some 2800 soldiers have been deployed to the state to address security concerns in cities amid an associated rise in violent crime since mid-December.

Context

A similar strike occurred in Espírito Santo state February 3-10, 2017, during which time the state experienced a significant increase in violence, with at least 120 homicides reported. The Brazilian military was deployed to the region in an effort to curb the violence, but the additional soldiers had little effect on security conditions.

Advice

Individuals present in the state are advised to remain vigilant, conceal all signs of wealth to avoid attracting the attention of would-be thieves, and avoid entering favelas (slums; often located in very close proximity to more affluent neighborhoods). Keep in mind that criminals are often armed; never offer resistance if assaulted.