--- description: The death of Marielle Franco, a Rio de Janeiro city councillor and activist, brought thousands of mourners into the streets of Brazil title: Death of Progressive Councillor Strikes a Chord in Brazil image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt21d67d1e8d0568db/69892b0cab6d7795df6b21d3/rts1ntit.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [brazil](/tag/brazil/) ## brazil Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Violent Death of a Progressive Rio Politician Has Prompted Mass Mourning and Protests in Brazil by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:12 PM CUTPublished: Mar 16, 2018 6:21 AM CUT  Demonstrators react before the wake of councilwoman Marielle Franco, 38, who was shot dead, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil March 15, 2018. Demonstrators react before the wake of councilwoman Marielle Franco, 38, who was shot dead, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil March 15, 2018.Sergio Moraes—Reuters by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:12 PM CUTPublished: Mar 16, 2018 6:21 AM CUT The [murder](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/15/marielle-franco-shot-dead-targeted-killing-rio "undefined") of Rio de Janeiro city councillor Marielle Franco this week drew thousands of mourners into city streets across Brazil, many believing the popular advocate for Brazil’s poorest was assassinated. Franco, 38, and her driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes, were killed Wednesday night when two men in a car fired nine shots into her vehicle, according to the Associated Press. Franco’s press secretary also suffered minor injuries but [survived](https://in.reuters.com/article/brazil-violence/thousands-march-in-brazil-after-murder-of-activist-councilwoman-idINKCN1GR2O5 "undefined"), according to Reuters. Rio’s chief of public security promised a “full investigation,” the _Guardian_ reports. Franco’s death came weeks after Brazil’s president [Michel Temer](http://time.com/4475593/five-things-to-know-about-brazils-new-president-michel-temer/ "undefined") gave the military sweeping security powers in Rio’s sprawling favela, where gang violence is rife. At least 13 political candidates were slain in the lead-up to 2016’s city council polls when Franco was elected, according to Reuters.  Supporters rally following the murder of councilwoman Marielle Franco in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 15, 2018\. Franco, a 38 year-old black politician from one of Rio's poorest and most violent communities, killed late on March 14 in a shooting that many feared to be a targeted assassination. Dado Galdieri—Bloomberg/Getty Images Franco, a popular local LGBTQ and human rights activist, grew up in one of Rio’s largest favelas, and rose to political prominence by denouncing economic inequality and police brutality. She was the only [black female representative](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/world/americas/killing-of-rio-de-janeiro-councilwoman-critical-of-police-rattles-brazil.html "undefined") and one of seven women on the 51-seat city council, according to the New York _Times_. Redes da Maré, a non-profit group based in Franco’s neighborhood, described her death as “an irreparable loss.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5202587/brazil-marielle-franco-killed-protest/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5202587/brazil-marielle-franco-killed-protest/"},"headline":"The Violent Death of a Progressive Rio Politician Has Prompted Mass Mourning and Protests in Brazil","datePublished":"2018-03-16T06:21:44.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T21:12:23.000Z","description":"Thousands protested what many believe was an assassination","url":"https://time.com/5202587/brazil-marielle-franco-killed-protest/","keywords":["brazil","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt21d67d1e8d0568db/69892b0cab6d7795df6b21d3/rts1ntit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eli Meixler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eli/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt21d67d1e8d0568db/69892b0cab6d7795df6b21d3/rts1ntit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Demonstrators react before the wake of councilwoman Marielle Franco, 38, who was shot dead, in Rio de Janeiro","caption":"Demonstrators react before the wake of councilwoman Marielle Franco, 38, who was shot dead, in Rio de Janeiro","creditText":"Sergio Moraes—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/brazil/","name":"brazil"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5202587/brazil-marielle-franco-killed-protest/","name":"The Violent Death of a Progressive Rio Politician Has Prompted Mass Mourning and Protests in Brazil"}}]}] ```