Brazil opposition party official shot dead at birthday celebration

A Brazilian official from the country’s leftist opposition party was assassinated by a federal prison guard who barged into the official’s birthday celebration Saturday and gunned him down while shouting support for right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Marcelo Arruda, a Workers’ Party (PT) official and municipal guard, was celebrating his birthday in the southern city of Foz de Iguacu, Parana, when the suspect Jorge Jose da Rocha Guaranho entered the private event and shot him dead, according to state civil police and a witness.

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

“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.