Young People Paid to Protest, Says Lawyer in Cameraman Case

02/13/2014 - 08h28

Jonas Tadeu, the lawyer representing Caio Silva de Souza, the man accused of lighting the firework that killed the cameraman Santiago Andrade, 49, revealed to Folha on Wednesday that his client and other young people were paid at least R$150 (USD $62) for each protest in Rio in which they participated.

Tadeu said that the payments are part of a scheme which aims to promote violence and criminal damage during the protests. He also suggested that politicians are involved.

Caio Souza was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning in the northeastern state of Bahia. In an interview with "Globo News", he admitted lighting the firework that killed Andrade, a cameraman with TV Band.

He said, however, that he did not intend to hit anyone, claiming he thought the device was a stationary explosive rather than a projectile. He said he would only speak to the police in court.

Tadeu emphasized that Souza lives in a "miserable situation, not in the sense of being a monster or a criminal, but in terms of his financial situation, in terms of the great poverty in which he lives."

The lawyer did not provide names of anyone who had contracted Souza or any other young people to protest, but he alleged that politicians are involved.

He also said that the scheme provides protestors with fireworks, masks and money.

"The money is paid to them by an activist, though they didn't give a name. This activist is involved with politicians, regional heads of political parties, city councilmen, congressmen and senators," Tadeu said to Folha over the telephone.

For Tadeu, both Souza and the tattoo artist Fábio Raposo, who is also facing criminal charges for his involvement in the incident, "had their freedom taken by people stirring up social terrorism." Souza has now been sent to a prison in Rio.

According to the police, he was trying to flee to Ceará, where he intended to stay with his grandfather.

Tadeu also said that neither of the accused in the case have the means of paying for legal representation, but he decided to help them because he was already acquainted with Raposo.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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Daniel Marenco/Folhapress

Caio Souza was arrested in Bahia; he admitted lighting the firework that killed Andrade, a cameraman with TV Band