International Journal on Criminology Volume 3, Number 2, Fall 2015 | Page 43

International Journal on Criminology
Paulo (known as Piranhão). 74 The political motivation was evident—the PCC was
formed to “fight oppression in the prison system of São Paulo” and “avenge the deaths of
111 prisoners, victims of the repression of October 2, 1992” at Carandiru. 75 The Chinese
taijitu symbol, representing the Yin and Yang, was chosen as their emblem, “a way to
balance good and evil with wisdom” according to the founders of the PCC.
In February 2001, Carlos Ambrósio Idemir Sombra became the most prominent
leader of the organization, which referred to itself as “the Syndicate” at the time. The gang
was initially quite unobtrusive, but then Sombra used a mobile phone to organize and
coordinate one of the largest prison revolts in history. 27,000 inmates simultaneously
took control of twenty-nine prisons and kept 14,000 people 76 hostage for twenty-seven
hours. Although sixteen detainees were killed, it was ample demonstration to the
country's authorities of the power of the PCC to mobilize. Five months later, Sombra,
also known as “Father” was beaten to death at a Piranhão by five members of a more
highly criminalized faction of the PCC in search of power. This was duly seized by
Césinha and Geleião, founders of the PCC and originators of an alliance with the
Comando Vermelho, one of the major criminal organizations in Rio de Janeiro.
From the maximum security facility at Bangu, in which they were both
incarcerated, the two leaders organized attacks against public buildings and used
terrorist methods to intimidate the prison authorities. Considered too violent, they
were removed from power in November 2002.
The organization was then taken over by Marcos “Marcola” Herbas Camacho,
also known as the “Playboy.” 77 He immediately put a bounty on the heads of his
predecessors for betrayal to the authorities and for founding a dissident group, the
Terceiro Comando da Capital or TCC.
Marcola, like the others, took a hard line against officials of the authorities, and
the PCC was suspected of killing two judges in 2003, 78 including Antônio José Machado
Diaz, 79 director of the Penitentiary Readaptation Center (CRP), 80 the most secure
prison in the country. For sponsoring this crime, Marcola was sentenced to twentynine
years in prison. The PCC also announced among its objectives, its intention to
generate and use the uprisings in prisons to “demoralize the government” and “destroy
the CRP.” The leaders of the PCC give their orders using mobile phones brought into
Paixão, Isaías Esquisito Moreira do Nascimento, Ademar Dafé dos Santos, Antônio Bicho Feio Carlos
dos Santos, César Césinha Augusto Roris da Silva and José Geleião Màricio Felício
74
The “Great Piranha.”
75
The military police stormed the detention center and killed all the prisoners of Pavilion No. 9.
76
Guards and visitors.
77
Sentenced to 44 years in prison for drug trafficking and attacks using firearms, he has been inside
since 1999. His eclectic tastes are demonstrated by the literature found in his cell: The Art of War by
Sun Tzu, The Prince by Machiavelli and biographies of Che Guevara.
78
Two judges specialized in the fight against organized crime were murdered in the month of March
2003 in Brazil. The PCC was the prime suspect. Financial Times, March 23, 2003.
79
Marcola was sentenced to 29 years in prison for ordering the murder of Judge Antônio José
Machado Diaz in São Paulo in March 2003. AP November 13, 2009.
80
In the district of Presidente Bernardes, São Paulo, Brazil.
38