Mayor of Rio denounces that organized crime charged R$500,000 to release work

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes (PSD), reported this Tuesday (9) that criminals asked for R$500,000 to allow public work to be carried out in Parque Piedade, located in the North Zone of the city. On social media, Paes reported the case and asked the executive secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Cappelli, and the Federal Police to take action.

According to the mayor, the criminals charged directly to the contractor, as a requirement for the work, budgeted at R$65 million, to proceed. Parque Piedade was announced by the city hall to occupy the land of the former Gama Filho University, which had buildings on its campus demolished last year. Work on the park began in September. A space for fairs and events should be built at the site, with an urban garden, park, gym and football field, among other attractions, informed the Brazil Agency.

“Attention, Federal Police and Ricardo Cappelli, I have now received information that organized crime is asking for money from the contractor responsible for the works at Parque Piedade where the former Gama Filho college was located. They threaten to stop the works if payment is not made. Obviously we will not accept it. More information with the Secretary of Public Order delegate Brenno Carnevale! The value of the work is R$65 million and they are asking for R$500,000. The order was made directly to the contractor”, wrote Paes in social network.

In response to the mayor, Cappelli, classified the request as “unacceptable” and said that there are similar reports from mayors of other cities in Rio de Janeiro. “Dear mayor, Eduardo Paes, we have received similar reports from other mayors in Rio, unfortunately. Organized crime destroys the economy and development. The contractor cannot pay anything, this parallel state is unacceptable. Let’s go after these criminals”, said Capelli, who is temporarily in charge of the ministry.