Excited in the Fight Against Organized Crime

The former governor of Rio, Sérgio Cabral, defended in an interview today with UOL, the president of Alerj (Legislative Assembly of Rio), Rodrigo Bacellar (Union), who was arrested this week by the Federal Police on suspicion of leaking information from an operation carried out in September that led to the arrest of former deputy TH Joias, accused of having ties to the Red Command. When asked if the arrest had surprised him, Cabral said that the former president of Alerj had never commented on his relationship with TH Joias and stated that the deputy had been working hard to combat organized crime. ‘I always saw Rodrigo (Bacellar) excited about projects aimed at toughening laws against organized crime. He recently led a bill that made life harder for faction leaders in prisons,’ said Cabral in a WhatsApp conversation. Cabral stated that he has a friendship with Bacellar, but denied being his political consultant. ‘I am his friend. He has always treated me with great distinction and respect. He has always held me in high regard and I hold him in high esteem.’