Brazilian Federal Deputy Duda Salabert Reports Attempted Homicide During Mining Inspection

Federal Deputy Duda Salabert of the PSOL party reported an attempted homicide on Friday after she and an aide were attacked while investigating illegal iron ore extraction. The incident occurred late Thursday night on the border between Belo Horizonte and Nova Lima. Salabert was accompanied by her assessor, Felipe Gomes, who is a candidate for state deputy. According to Salabert, the pair were approached by men while walking toward the site of the alleged illegal mining. She reported that she fell while trying to run and heard one assailant tell another to get a pipe or a piece of iron. Salabert stated that the men held them and treated her as if she were the criminal. The deputy suffered a shoulder dislocation and was treated at a private hospital. Felipe Gomes was reportedly kicked and punched, resulting in chest pains. The two managed to escape and call the police. A video provided by the deputy's team shows the pair contacting authorities while reporting that machinery and a truck were leaving the area. Patrus Ananias, a candidate for governor of Minas Gerais, expressed solidarity and called for a rigorous investigation. The Civil Police and the Secretariat of Public Security did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment.