Rio’s Security Secretary ‘breaks protocol’ and apologizes at inauguration ceremony after asking for PM secretary’s dismissal

Governor Cláudio Castro swore in this Wednesday morning the new Secretary of Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Colonel Marcelo de Menezes Nogueira. The command of the department changed after the dismissal of Colonel Luiz Henrique Marinho Pires, when Rio’s Security Secretary, Victor César Santos, asked for the soldier’s dismissal through a letter, 14 days ago, sent to Castro.

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The decision, however, generated discomfort during the inauguration ceremony, held at the Military Police Academy, in Sulacap, in the West Zone of Rio, which brought together parliamentarians, mayors and councilors. When speaking, the Secretary of Security “broke protocol” and apologized to Colonel Pires for the request for dismissal, which received repercussions before being granted, stating that the decision would have caused “very great embarrassment” between him and the governor.

— A special thank you to Colonel Henrique for all the deliveries he made during his tenure. Now, personally, Governor, I would like to break protocol and ask your permission to talk about a subject that was this change in the Military Police. We nominated the name of Colonel Henrique’s eventual replacement, this caused a lot of controversy in the press, everyone commented. This caused a lot of embarrassment, so I want to here, in public, in the presence of all the authorities, to apologize to Colonel Henrique for the way it happened. It wasn’t what was expected, it wasn’t what was agreed and my management as a police officer has always been with justice, honor and truth and humility too. So I have no problem apologizing to you,” said Victor Santos, in reference to the sending of the document about the dismissal of the then PM secretary.

— I didn’t look for you before because there’s no point in all this exposure in the media. If I went, I apologized to you in your office in person. I do this here publicly. The doors are open to the Secretariat and its entire team. Thank you very much, everyone be with God – he concluded.

When coming down from the pulpit, Pires and Santos did not greet each other. And rumors of friction between the two remained until the end of the event.

Castro praised the former secretary, and stated that Pires “made history in the corporation”.

— I have no doubt that you (Luiz Henrique Pires) made history in the Military Police. Henrique, way back when I decided to put someone already retired, but with extensive experience, vast experience at the head of the Police, at that moment, you were the best decision. And as our Father Marcelo read here, I have no doubt that you took the five talents and transformed them into five more. You found the Military Police extremely scrapped, with a system still from the World Cup, without cameras, without all the image issues, with the vehicles, even the vehicles already purchased by the intervention, starting to be scrapped — said the governor.

Under the command of Colonel Pires, the PM used facial recognition cameras at major events, such as New Year’s Eve and Carnival, equipment that, in real time, has images captured crossed with the photo bank of fugitives from justice.

— Today you deliver a Military Police with the highest appreciation in the history of the police. Our police had the second worst salary in Brazil and today they have the third best salary in Brazil. You deliver a Military Police with more than a thousand semi-armored vehicles, with several battalions with kits so that we can remove the barricades. You hand over to the Military Police having done a fantastic job, both in the last two New Year’s Eve and in the last two carnivals in Rio de Janeiro — said Castro in a speech.

Luiz Henrique Pires’ dismissal was published in the Official Gazette on April 18. The following day, Castro honored the former secretary by signing and publishing in the Official Gazette the promotions of the PM corporation, maintaining the list of nominees that Pires left ready, including colonels and lieutenants.

Nogueira was appointed to the position last Thursday. The soldier has been in the PM for 34 years, has commanded several units and has extensive experience as head of planning, intelligence, operational and administrative sessions. In 2022, he was in charge of the Coordination of the State Security Integration Program (Cproeis) — which has partnerships with city halls to increase the number of police officers in municipalities, known as “official bico”.

In a letter sent to the governor, on the 11th, the Secretary of Security of Rio de Janeiro asked for a change in command of the corporation. In the document, Santos requested Pires’ dismissal. For the appointment, however, he nominated Colonel Ranulfo Souza Brandão Filho, commander of the PM’s Special Operations Command since 2015. The confidential document was leaked, the governor did not accept the nominee’s name and tension was created in the government.

However, according to government sources interviewed by GLOBO, even with Brandão’s appointment, other names, such as Colonel Menezes, were considered to take the position by Castro. The secretary presented the governor with a list of six names.

In the corridors of the Palace, rumors that Brandão’s appointment caused discomfort highlighted that the governor would not be enthusiastic about such an appointment to command the secretariat.

During an interview, Castro stated that he decided to appoint Menezes to the position “based on technical criteria”. And that, despite Santos’ indication, the final word would be his.

— The exchange was already planned. We understand that it is a two or three year position. I understand Secretary Victor’s point. Unfortunately documents leak. His idea was not to be against Colonel Henrique, but in favor of the nomination he was receiving. The secretary can indicate. But every appointment is made by the governor. This role is mine, and I won’t give it up. So, we reached a consensus and I nominated whoever I wanted. We will continue with technology programs, which is essential for us to continue evolving in data. Which is something I had already been talking about with Colonel Henrique and now I talked about with Colonel Menezes.

Nogueira was appointed to the position last Thursday. The soldier has been in the PM for 34 years, has commanded several units and has extensive experience as head of planning, intelligence, operational and administrative sessions. In 2022, he was in charge of the Coordination of the State Security Integration Program (Cproeis) — which has partnerships with city halls to increase the number of police officers in municipalities, known as “official bico”.