Brazil Opposition Party Official Assassinated At 50th Birthday Party By Gunman Screaming Current President's Name

Marcelo Arruda, a Brazilian official from the country’s leftist opposition Workers' Party, (PT) was assassinated during his 50th birthday celebrations by a federal prison guard shouting slogans in support of the current right-wing president and candidate, Jair Bolsonaro.

On Saturday, July 9, Arruda, a municipal guard and PT official was celebrating his birthday in the southern city of Foz de Iguacu, Parana, when the federal penitentiary agent, Jorge José da Rocha Guaranho barged into the event and gunned him down, according to state civil police and a witness.

Guaranho first entered the party waving a gun around and screaming Bolsonaro’s praises. Arruda identified himself as a member of the security forces and ordered the gunman to stand down.

"The party was PT-themed. Around 11 pm a guy that nobody knew showed up cursing the guests, calling Lula (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former president) a disgrace, and shouting Bolsonaro’s name. The crazy guy said he would come back to kill everyone. And he came back," describes André Alliana, a close friend of the victim.

Guaranho then left, only to return after 20 minutes, this time pointing the gun directly at Arruda, according to party attendee and witness Aluizio Palmar, a Brazilian journalist.

"My father said 'Man, get out of my party. I'm a cop, get out. Let me enjoy my party in peace.' And the guy pulled out a gun and pointed it at him," Arruda's son Leonardo told CNN Brasil.

According to witnesses, the gunman appeared to be under the influence of drugs and had his wife and daughter in his car. They said they could hear Guaranho’s wife screaming, begging her husband not to commit the crime.

"We could hear his wife screaming asking him to leave and he was very upset, with a lot of hate. He was swearing at the PT supporters and saying that Bolsonaro would be elected. That Lula is a bandit and that all PT supporters should die. It was a tragedy, something senseless. We are all in shock," one of the guests, who witnessed the murder and did not want to be named, told People Dispatch.

Guaranho opened fire at Arruda — who was also apparently armed — opened fire in return, the Workers’ Party said in a statement.

Arruda was killed at the scene. Guaranho, who was shot five times, is currently hospitalized in critical condition, police said.

"He shot my dad three times and my dad was able to shoot back and shot him five times," Leonardo told CNN Brazil.

Arruda's death comes months ahead of Brazil’s presidential election in October, amid the intense political polarization among the country’s two main parties.

"Another dear comrade passed away this morning, a victim of intolerance, hatred, and political violence," the PT’s national president, Gleisi Hoffmann, said in a statement.

He was a guard of the municipality of Foz do Iguaçu, local treasurer of the PT, and had been a candidate for deputy mayor in the municipal elections of 2020.

A statement issued by PT said "Enough of the violence! Enough of the destruction! It is time for the reconstruction and transformation of Brazil and the relations between Brazilians and Brazilians! Let's cry and bury another comrade who fell victim to political violence, that's enough!"