Outside Source
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship great Anderson Silva is crestfallen about the death of his friend, Diego Braga.
The Brazilian mixed martial arts community was shocked by the killing of former MMA fighter Diego Braga on Monday. The news spread all across televised news broadcasts, opening another chapter of the criminal territory dispute between militias and narco criminals in Rio de Janeiro. A litany of famed names in the sport attended the fighter’s funeral on Wednesday at the Jardim da Saudade Cemetery.
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In addition to son Gabriel Braga, a Professional Fighters League finalist in 2023, others in attendance included Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Davi Ramos, Gustavo Machado and Anderson Silva. The UFC legend, who had trained muay thai with Braga in his last MMA fights, was devastated and declined to speak to the press. Instead, “The Spider” published a lengthy message on his Instagram in honor of his fallen friend and condemned authorities for the increasing violence in Rio.
“A hard-working guy who, like many others, chases his dreams, bought his motorcycle with his own effort, but it was stolen and his rights were violated,” Silva remarked. “While those who have the power to change normalized violence as if they could do nothing, for them it is just another statistic…As long as justice is working against the population, we will increasingly witness the deconstruction of values and the loss of friends and relatives.”
Silva continued, “Tears will not be enough to demonstrate the pain of losing a friend like Diego; cannot be accepted. Such cowardice and evil are truly something that cannot be understood or accepted. The system plays against the good population, a hard-working guy with a good heart who leaves behind a wife and children, and a feeling of impotence and a lot of pain at his departure. My friend, the great Diego Braga, has always been a human being of light in the midst of so much darkness that often surrounds the wonderful city of Rio de Janeiro. Diego, my brother, your memory will forever be a beacon for all of us who remain. See you one day, brother.”
Silva openly criticized a recent decision by the Brazilian Supreme Court, DPF 635, which prohibits police from tending to situations in the slums of Rio de Janeiro to avoid the potential deaths of innocents. As a result, some believe that this decision transformed these 600-plus slums across the massive city into safe havens for criminals while attracting even more dangerous elements from other Brazilian states.
The Muzema slum, where Braga lived and helped many children with his social project titled “Tropa Thai,” is one dominated by militias—ex-police or military that control the area by selling basic supplies and “safety” by asking for monthly mandatory fees. Last year, the Muzema slum and Morro do Banco, a neighboring slum, were under the control of the criminal organization Comando Vermelho, listed as the largest narco-criminal group in the city. After Braga’s motorcycle was stolen on Monday, he decided to speak to Morro do Banco’s leaders to retrieve it. He believed that as a member of a local social project, his name would carry some respect, and some individuals who recognized him would be glad to help. This was not the case.
Instead of welcoming Braga, a teacher of youths in the area, as a good person, the men he spoke to were suspicious. Allegedly taking his phone, the men went through his contacts and recognized some names from a rival faction. Braga reportedly tried to run, but he was gunned down. This shooting drew immediate pushback from the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, which included a temporary suspension of the DPF 635 decision. Police forces quickly rushed into Morro de Banco to retrieve Braga’s body and apprehend the individual(s) that killed him. The dealers allegedly placed Braga’s body in the center of a local square in the slum while also leaving an 18-year-old, who they claimed was the one responsible for Braga’s death.
The national repercussion of Braga’s death was not only due to his friendship with beloved figures like Nogueira and Silva but because it reiterated the danger of the war between narco criminals and militias in Rio. It also highlighted the harm that DPF 635 might be causing the slums in Rio de Janeiro. This first reared its head last October when three doctors were shot 33 times in Barra da Tijuca Beach, once known as one of the safer places in the city. As a note, the UFC has traveled to this area in particular because of its safety.
The day after the doctors were shot, police tracked down narco criminals from Comando Vermelho but found themselves amid a medical convention. The ensuing confusion resulted in seven deaths in 12 hours. Among the four doctors shot, three died immediately. One was shot 14 times but managed to survive after several surgeries. The criminals responsible were found dead by the police 12 hours later, allegedly killed by leaders of Comando Vermelho.
With police no longer going into slums to stop criminals, Comando Vermelho had implemented its justice system. Not wishing for the police forces to return to investigate crime or fight the drug trade, the narco-criminal group allegedly condemned the guilty parties to death. If they could handle matters before police intervention and bring the killers to “justice,” they believed they would stay safe from any special authorizations of police action. With the mayor of Rio de Janeiro taking action and temporarily revoking DPF 635, things may change going forward.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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