Army troops will leave streets of Rio de Janeiro next week

08/03/2003 - 20h55

Brasília, 3/10/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Following a three-hour meeting of the governor of Rio, Rosinha Matheus, and ministers Márcio Tomaz Bastos, of Justice, and José Viegas, of Defense, it was decided that next week army troops will no longer patrol the streets of Rio de Janeiro, but will remain in their barracks in a state of alert in case of an emergency. It was also decided that the federal government will not intervene in state police forces, but may control the Bangu III prison while talks on the construction of five more prisons proceed. The federal government will also keep its Integrated Command Center in operation. (AB)