Deslocamentos forçados no Ceará: a negação do estado democrático de direito e o papel da polícia militar para a garantia de direitos fundamentais em territórios faccionados

Abstract

This study brings to light the discussion of a problem observed across the entire national territory and recurrent in the outskirts of Fortaleza and other municipalities in the state of Ceará. It is a blatant affront to the Democratic Rule of Law: forced displacements or evictions of residents, a problem directly linked to the growth of criminal factions in Brazil, particularly in Ceará. Throughout the study, the characteristics of this phenomenon—rooted in armed violence—were defined, highlighting its specificities and distinguishing it from similar occurrences in other parts of the world. Additionally, the research revealed the vulnerability of the public housing policy under the Minha Casa Minha Vida Program (PMCMV), where flaws in its implementation contributed to the transformation of social housing complexes into veritable "crime headquarters”. Furthermore, it is evident that vulnerable territories in Ceará’s peripheries have become arenas for numerous human rights violations, stemming from the establishment of what has been termed the arbitrary suborder of criminal factions. This situation profoundly impacts the lives of individuals uninvolved in crime, reflecting the state's failure to fulfill its primary role since its inception: ensuring the security of its citizens. Given this issue, the study aims to analyze the role of the Ceará Military Police in combating forced displacements. The discussion within the academic sphere is justified as an essential step toward addressing the problem and developing feasible solutions that contribute to the restoration of rights and dignified living conditions within these communities. Moreover, it is understood as an obligation of academia toward the people of Ceará. This is a qualitative, bibliographic, and documentary research study, employing a deductive approach. Initially, the study questioned the effectiveness of traditional policing—primarily based on reactive strategies—in confronting criminal factions and, consequently, forced displacements. Upon examining the rise in crime rates over the last ten years (2015–2025), the increase in police force personnel, and public security expenditures in Ceará during the same period, the necessity of proposing a more effective strategy became evident. In this context, the Ceará Military Police, through the Community Prevention and Support Command (COPAC), began implementing a proactive policing model in vulnerable territories heavily influenced by criminal factions. This approach is materialized through the proximity policing strategy, represented by the Community Security Group (GSC). An analysis of this model’s functioning, based on reports produced by the police officers involved, revealed that while traditional policing has not significantly improved public safety or reduced crime rates, proximity policing has yielded more effective results, particularly in reducing homicides and forced displacements. Based on these findings, the research concludes by recommending a reassessment of policing models, prioritizing strategies that have demonstrated a greater positive impact on public security