Brazil ex-colonel who admitted torture killed

[Judi Lynn]

Brazil ex-colonel who admitted torture killed

Paulo Malhaes found dead after testifying last month to carrying out torture during Brazil's 1964 to 1985 military rule.

Last updated: 26 Apr 2014 08:00

A retired Brazilian colonel who last month admitted carrying out torture during the country's 1964-1985 military rule has been found dead following a break-in at his suburban Rio home, police have said.

Paulo Malhaes, 76, was killed after three men broke into the family property in the northern suburb of Novo Iguacu on Thursday, his widow told police on Friday.

"An evaluation of the scene has already been undertaken and the wife of the victim and their valet have been questioned. The latter will be able to help produce a photofit," a police spokesman told the AFP news agency.

Police said the men held the couple and the valet in separate rooms on Thursday night before killing the colonel and escaping with a number of firearms he collected.

More:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/04/brazil-ex-colonel-who-admitted-torture-killed-201442652334374680.html

The Brazilian military dictatorship was supported by the United States.

[center]

Colonel Paulo Malhaes [/center]

[Judi Lynn]

1. Brazilian military rule torturer Paulo Malhaes found dead

25 April 2014 Last updated at 21:31 ET
Brazilian military rule torturer Paulo Malhaes found dead

~snip~
Last month, he said he never regretted killing "as many people as necessary" and tortured "many" prisoners.

Almost 500 people disappeared or were killed in Brazil when it was ruled by the army between 1964 and 1985.

Thousands more were detained and tortured, including current President Dilma Rousseff.

According to his wife, Col Malhaes was suffocated by three men who broke into their home. Police say the assailants stole computers and some guns.

Graphic testimony

Prominent Brazilian lawyer Wadih Damous said the intruders may have been after secret files he held.

"He was an important agent of political repression during the dictatorship and held much information about events that occurred behind the scenes at the time," Mr Damous said.

More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27166848

[Judi Lynn]

2. Punishment or Witness Elimination?

April 28, 2014
Punishment or Witness Elimination?

Confessed Brazilian Torturer Found Murdered

by MICHAEL UHL

At approximately four o’clock this past Thursday afternoon, Paulo Malhaes, a retired officer who served in the ‘70s during the years of Brazil’s military dictatorship, was murdered at his small farm outside of Rio de Janeiro.

Malhaes had become infamous in recent weeks, as I wrote in this space recently , for his lurid testimony before the Brazilian Truth Commission, where he described in graphic detail how the bodies of opponents of the repressive regime had been disappeared after being killed under torture.

According to news reports, Malhaes, his wife and a house mate, in some reports described as a valet, had arrived at the farm around two p.m. and were confronted by three intruders already in their home. The wife, Cristina Malhaes, and the house mate, later identified by police only as Rui, were restrained and led off into one room, while the former lieutenant colonel was taken to another.

Cristina and Rui were later released unharmed as the assailants departed the scene by car. Neither of the survivors reported having heard a sound to suggest the Malhaes had been worked over or “tortured.” But when police examined Malhaes’ body Friday morning they found marks on his face and neck, and have tentatively concluded that he died from asphyxiation. The only items the murderers removed from the premises were a computer, a printer, and several weapons that had belonged to the victim.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/04/28/confessed-brazilian-torturer-found-murdered/