Vitoria: More than 100 people have been reported killed, with schools and businesses closed and public transportation at a standstill, as a six-day strike by police in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo showed no signs of abating yesterday. Chaos and anarchy spurred by the strike continued in the coastal state to the north of Rio de Janeiro, despite the deployment of 1,200 army soldiers and federal police and the promise that more help was on its way. Most of the violence was centered in the state capital Vitoria, where mining and petroleum industries have a strong base. State officials said they needed hundreds more federal troops and members of an elite federal police force to help establish order. The Globo TV network, reported that 200 cars were stolen in Vitoria on a single day, when the state average is 20. The state’s retailers association said that businesses have lost 90m reais ($28.87m) since police walked out on the job.
