Marcelo Soares de Medeiros, known as “Marcelo PQD,” became a prominent figure in Rio de Janeiro's organized-crime history after leaving the Brazilian Army and becoming involved in criminal activities on Ilha do Governador.
The nickname “PQD” refers to his former connection with the Army's paratrooper forces. Contemporary reporting identified him as a former paratrooper who later became a leader in the criminal activities around Morro do Dendê, in Ilha do Governador.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, PQD became associated with the criminal networks operating in the Dendê area. Police reports described him as a former leader of the local drug trade and later connected him with Comando Vermelho after he lost control of the community. These descriptions come primarily from police investigations and contemporary reporting.
His criminal record included a conviction for illegal possession of firearms reserved for military use. In June 2000, he was sentenced to eleven years in prison. Later proceedings resulted in additional convictions, and by 2021 reports stated that his combined sentences totaled approximately thirty-five years for offenses including drug trafficking, association with drug trafficking, resistance, illegal possession of restricted firearms and receiving stolen property.
While imprisoned, PQD lost control of Morro do Dendê. According to contemporary reporting, Fernando Gomes de Freitas, known as “Fernandinho Guarabu,” took control of the community in 2003. Guarabu subsequently became one of the principal criminal figures on Ilha do Governador.
PQD attempted to return to the Dendê area after losing his position. In 2007, while serving a sentence under a less restrictive regime, he left prison during authorized leave and did not return. Police later located him in a house near the Dendê while, according to investigators, he was preparing an attempt to regain control of the area. He was arrested after a prolonged police operation.
The arrest also revealed another aspect of the investigations surrounding PQD. Police alleged that he had used his military background to train members of criminal groups. At the time, investigators said he had been working with people connected to Comando Vermelho in the Complexo do Alemão. These statements were part of the police investigation and should be distinguished from facts established by judicial convictions.
The rivalry over Morro do Dendê continued for years. Guarabu maintained control of the community until his death in 2019. After Guarabu's death, reports indicated that PQD again attempted to influence events in the area while imprisoned. In 2019, authorities transferred him to a maximum-security facility after investigators alleged that he had ordered an attempt to retake the community through a video call.
In August 2021, PQD obtained progression to an open prison regime and was placed under electronic monitoring. The following year, however, the Rio de Janeiro courts ordered his return to the semi-open regime after violations involving his electronic monitoring device.
His history illustrates the complex relationship between former members of the armed forces and organized criminal groups in Rio de Janeiro. His military background became part of his public identity, while his subsequent criminal convictions and disputes over control of Morro do Dendê made him a recurring subject of police investigations and Brazilian crime reporting.
Marcelo Soares de Medeiros remains associated with the history of Morro do Dendê and the factional disputes that shaped organized crime on Ilha do Governador during the 2000s. His established convictions should be distinguished from allegations made by police during investigations that did not necessarily result in separate convictions.
SOURCES
Folha de S.Paulo — Former military personnel and the investigation involving Marcelo PQD
O DIA — Marcelo PQD and the dispute over Morro do Dendê
O DIA — The conflict between Barbante and Dendê
Disque-Denúncia RJ — Profile of Marcelo Soares Medeiros
EXTRA — Court orders Marcelo PQD back to semi-open imprisonment
