Paes raises his tone and challenges Castro to defend former secretaries arrested for irregularities

Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD), who is a pre-candidate for the state government, raised the tone this Thursday to his criticisms of governor Cláudio Castro and the secretary of the Civil Police, Felipe Curi, due to the episode of the arrest of councilor Salvino Oliveira (PSD) on Wednesday morning. Paes even called Castro a “delinquent” and “lax”. And he challenged the governor to publicly defend former secretaries from his team arrested in recent years for involvement in criminal activities.

— I want to challenge the governor: Cláudio Castro, comment on the arrest of his five secretaries detained in recent years. Defend them or accuse them. I’m defending Salvino here at the moment. Have that courage. In this case, I’m talking about Cláudio Castro and his political group — he said. — Without wanting to take political advantage, I have much more respect than this delinquent Cláudio Castro in federal instances, in the Judiciary. And I will use it to defend not my interests, but the politics of Rio de Janeiro.

Paes was referring to his party’s decision, through federal deputy Pedro Paulo, to sue the Superior Court of Justice, the Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Supreme Court regarding the alleged political use of the Civil Police to arrest Salvino.

The statements were made at the City Palace (Botafogo), this Thursday, in a ceremony to sign the first two lots of the concession for the city’s bus lines, which will serve the West Zone of the city.

In a statement, Palácio Guanabara responded to Paes’ criticism, stating that Salvino’s arrest followed technical criteria. “The analysis of the arrest went through three different and independent spheres: Civil Police, Public Ministry and Judiciary. It is not a government decision, it is a Justice decision. (…) The state government finds it strange that the mayor is trying to politicize the investigation carried out in a completely legal way.”

Regarding criticism of the Civil Police, the Palace said that the body acts independently and has the mission to combat organized crime, including when there are suspected links between public agents and criminal factions (see the full note at the end of the article).

— Until they present me with evidence, I will continue defending Salvino. He calls himself the creation of the City of God. I am a child of Jardim Botânico, from a middle-class family in Rio de Janeiro. Someone here is from Complexo da Penha, Bangu, Campo Grande, Santa Cruz. What’s the problem? If you want to hit me, come at me, the experienced politician, not the honor of a young councilor. Be ashamed of yourselves — said Paes.

In the interview, Paes also recalled episodes involving the state’s top brass in recent years. One of those mentioned was the former secretary of Penitentiary Administration, Raphael Montenegro. He was arrested in 2021 in a Federal Police operation that investigated signs of agreements between Seap leadership and the Red Command. Raphael was accused of looking for drug dealer Marcinho VP in a federal prison to negotiate a “truce” with state authorities.

The mayor also recalled the Federal Police investigation that showed that the same Raphael was involved in the irregular release of drug trafficker Wilton Carlos Rabello Quintanilha, known as Abelha, in July 2021. Upon leaving the Vicente Piragibe prison, in the Bangu Complex, Abelha greeted the then secretary.

— This week an arrest warrant was issued again against the former Secretary of Sports and Leisure (Alessandro Carracena, who has been in prison since last year) with Comando Vermelho. Where are the comments, Cláudio Castro?

Paes also criticized Castro’s management in Education:

— The maintenance of state schools is shameful. Robbery in schools. They are thieves, mafia bandits from the Claudio Castro government who will fall when they lose their immunities. We’ll see that. There are several cases: they took the employees’ pension money and invested it in Banco Master knowing that it would turn to dust — accused Paes.

Paes once again criticized the state’s security policy, stating that the current administration is eight years old and has failed to resolve the issue of Comando Vermelho’s dominance over communities.

The note from Palácio Guanabara:

“The investigation that led to the arrest of councilor Salvino began on October 15, 2024. The representation for the arrest was made on January 1, 2026. The Public Ministry analyzed and gave a favorable opinion on January 21, 2026. The Judiciary authorized the warrants on February 27, 2026. And the warrants were issued on March 3, 2026. In other words, the analysis of the arrest It passed through three different and independent spheres: Civil Police, MP and Judiciary. It is not a government decision, it is a Court decision. If evidence of a crime appears during an investigation, the police do what the law says: investigate, request the arrest from the Court and arrest them.

The State Government finds it strange that the mayor is adopting this type of behavior, trying to politicize an investigation conducted in a completely legal manner. By making this type of insinuation, it ends up putting into question not only the work of the Civil Police, but also the actions of the Public Ministry and the Judiciary.

The Civil Police acts independently and has the mission to combat organized crime, including when there is evidence of links between public agents and criminal factions. Trying to transform a serious investigation into a narrative of political persecution is an unacceptable attempt to divert the focus from serious facts, ascertained by the security forces.”