Today in history: On September 10, 2001 – Antônio da Costa Santos, mayor of Campinas, Brazil is assassinated

 

In September 2001, Antônio da Costa Santos, widely known as Toninho, the mayor of Campinas in São Paulo state, Brazil, was assassinated in a shocking attack that sent waves through Brazilian politics. Toninho had only taken office earlier that year after winning the municipal election as a member of the Workers’ Party (PT). He was regarded as a reformist, outspoken against corruption, and committed to improving public services in Campinas, the country’s third-largest city. On the night of September 10, 2001, while driving home after attending a cultural event, Toninho was ambushed and shot dead. The brazenness of the crime drew immediate suspicion that his political stances and anti-corruption measures may have provoked powerful enemies.

The murder investigation was clouded with controversy, as theories of political motivation clashed with claims it was a botched robbery. While local authorities initially suggested criminal gangs were responsible, many of Toninho’s supporters believed the killing was linked to entrenched corruption and organized interests within Campinas’ political and business circles. The timing of the assassination, coming just one day before the September 11 attacks in the United States, meant it quickly slipped from international headlines, though in Brazil it became a lasting symbol of the dangers faced by reformist politicians. Toninho’s death left a deep scar on the Workers’ Party, and debates over the true motives behind his assassination continue to be raised whenever corruption and political violence in Brazil are discussed.

See also: Today in history: On September 10, 1991 – Tajikistan declares independence from the Soviet Union.