Brasília, 10 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The governor of Espírito Santo, José Ignácio Ferreira, is to meet president Fernando Henrique Cardoso and the head of the Office of Institutional Security, Alberto Cardoso (no relation to the president), to discuss combating organized crime in the state. Ferreira will propose the creation of a task force to deal with the problem. The governor claims that there is no justification for federal intervention. Federal intervention in Espirito Santo was recommended by the Ministry of Justice's Human Rights Council (CDDPH), but the request was shelved by the government's chief prosecutor, Geraldo Brindeiro.

"This [the idea of federal intervention] is shocking because the situation in the state is not grave," said Ferreira. "This was an attempt to set up a smoke screen, turn the state into a scapegoat for a problem that is nationwide." (AB)