Ubiratan Guimarães
Encyclopedia
Ubiratan Guimarães, known as Colonel Ubiratan (São Paulo
, Brazil
April 19, 1943 – São Paulo, September 9, 2006) was a colonel
in the São Paulo Military Police
and Brazilian politician
. He was the commanding officer responsible for the Carandiru massacre
. In 2006 he was killed under unclear circumstances in his São Paulo
apartment.
in Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo.
. He repeated that he had a "clear conscience" and always defended the operation, saying the order to invade the cellblock was meant to save lives as he feared that a fire set by inmates could spread. Guimarães was originally charged with 111 counts of murder in June 2001, but the number was later reduced to 102 as there was no evidence police had killed the nine prisoners found stabbed to death. He was initially sentenced to 632 years in prison (six years each for the victims and 20 years for five attempted murder
s) for his mishandling of the rebellion and subsequent massacre. On 16 February 2006 the conviction was voided by a São Paulo court by 20 votes to two because of mistrial claims; the court accepted his argument that he was only following orders. Human rights
groups around the world, such as Amnesty International
, denounced the reversal. One of Brazil's most notorious gangs, Primeiro Comando da Capital
is said to been formed as a response to this event.
As a Member of Parliament
, the retired colonel made public safety his main banner. Ubiratan was against the disarming of the population and in favor of stricter rules for detainees, such as the ending of conjugal visit
s and furlough
s.
caliber
weapon. At around 22:30 the following day he was found in his São Paulo
apartment in the neighborhood Jardins. The corpse showed no signs of struggle, and the door was left ajar. The body was lying on its back, covered only by a towel.
The governor of São Paulo, Cláudio Lembo (PFL), ruled out the possible involvement of organized crime
in the murder.
His body was buried on the afternoon of September 11 in the cemetery Cemitério do Horto Florestal in northern São Paulo. The procession
was scheduled to end in the chapel, but this was canceled due to the sheer number of people who followed the ceremony.
The phrase "" (what goes around, comes around) was sprayed in pixação
(a local form of graffiti
) on the building where he lived — a reference to the Carandiru massacre.
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
April 19, 1943 – São Paulo, September 9, 2006) was a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the São Paulo Military Police
Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo
The Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo is a law enforcement agency of the military kind in the state of São Paulo, Brazil...
and Brazilian politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the commanding officer responsible for the Carandiru massacre
Carandiru Massacre
The Carandiru massacre took place on Friday, October 2, 1992 in Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil, and is considered a major human rights violation in the history of Brazil.-History:...
. In 2006 he was killed under unclear circumstances in his São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
apartment.
Colonel
Guimarães joined the state military police at the age 18 and rose to the rank of colonel, the top hierarchy in the São Paulo Military Police. As a colonel in the military police, where he stayed for 34 years, he commanded the Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo and São Paulo metropolitan police. In the 1970s, during the military dictatorship of Brazil, he fought guerrillasGuerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
in Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo.
1992 Carandiru massacre
Guimarães was the high-ranked police officer commanding the São Paulo state military forces in the infamous Carandiru prison massacreCarandiru Massacre
The Carandiru massacre took place on Friday, October 2, 1992 in Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil, and is considered a major human rights violation in the history of Brazil.-History:...
. He repeated that he had a "clear conscience" and always defended the operation, saying the order to invade the cellblock was meant to save lives as he feared that a fire set by inmates could spread. Guimarães was originally charged with 111 counts of murder in June 2001, but the number was later reduced to 102 as there was no evidence police had killed the nine prisoners found stabbed to death. He was initially sentenced to 632 years in prison (six years each for the victims and 20 years for five attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
s) for his mishandling of the rebellion and subsequent massacre. On 16 February 2006 the conviction was voided by a São Paulo court by 20 votes to two because of mistrial claims; the court accepted his argument that he was only following orders. Human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
groups around the world, such as Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, denounced the reversal. One of Brazil's most notorious gangs, Primeiro Comando da Capital
Primeiro Comando da Capital
Primeiro Comando da Capital, or PCC , is an anti-establishment Brazilian prison gang and criminal organization founded in 1993 by inmates of Taubaté prison in São Paulo...
is said to been formed as a response to this event.
Political life
Ubiratan entered politics after the massacre, when his name had become known to the general public. He was twice sworn in as a substitute state representative by Brazilian Social Democratic Party: in January 1997 to April 1998 and from January to March 1999. In 2002 he was re-elected (with number 14 111) state representative for São Paulo with 56,155 votes.As a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, the retired colonel made public safety his main banner. Ubiratan was against the disarming of the population and in favor of stricter rules for detainees, such as the ending of conjugal visit
Conjugal visit
A conjugal visit is a scheduled extended visit during which an inmate of a prison is permitted to spend several hours or days in private, usually with a legal spouse...
s and furlough
Furlough
In the United States a furlough is a temporary unpaid leave of some employees due to special needs of a company, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole...
s.
Death
On Saturday night September 9, 2006 Ubiratan was killed by a shot in his abdomen from a .38.38
.38 refers to the type of firearm and firearm cartridges.The .38 is considered a large caliber firearm cartridge; Anything larger than .32 is considered a large caliber, and one of the most common handguns manufactured in the United States...
caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
weapon. At around 22:30 the following day he was found in his São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
apartment in the neighborhood Jardins. The corpse showed no signs of struggle, and the door was left ajar. The body was lying on its back, covered only by a towel.
The governor of São Paulo, Cláudio Lembo (PFL), ruled out the possible involvement of organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
in the murder.
His body was buried on the afternoon of September 11 in the cemetery Cemitério do Horto Florestal in northern São Paulo. The procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
was scheduled to end in the chapel, but this was canceled due to the sheer number of people who followed the ceremony.
The phrase "" (what goes around, comes around) was sprayed in pixação
Pixação
Pixação or Pichação is a unique form of graffiti native to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It consists of tagging done in a distinctive, cryptic style, mainly on walls and vacant buildings. Many pixação artists compete to paint in high and inaccessible places, using such techniques as free...
(a local form of graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
) on the building where he lived — a reference to the Carandiru massacre.