The Americas

Striking military police in Brazil agree to return to work

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A police officer walks next to uniforms painted with red ink to symbolize blood, during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb 10, 2017. Relatives of Military Police members are demanding better salaries and labor conditions and they block the exits not allowing the officers to go work. Brazil's military police force patrols the nation's cities and its members are barred by law from going on strike. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (The Associated Press)

Uniforms painted with red ink to symbolize blood, are set on the ground by relatives of military police members during a protest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb 10, 2017. The family members are demanding better salaries and labor conditions and they block the exits not allowing the officers to go work. Brazil's military police force patrols the nation's cities and its members are barred by law from going on strike. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (The Associated Press)

A woman with her face painted joins relatives of military police members as they block an entrance in an attempt to impede officers from going to work at a military police in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb 10, 2017. The family members are demanding better salaries and labor conditions and they block the exits not allowing the officers to go work. Brazil's military police force patrols the nation's cities and its members are barred by law from going on strike. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (The Associated Press)

The state government of Brazil's southeastern state of Espirito Santo and military police have reached an agreement to end a strike that had paralyzed several cities and led to an uptick in violence.

The agreement reached late Friday came after a week of strikes led by family members of the officers. Wives and other relatives blocked their barracks to demand higher pay for the officers. The government had indicted more than 700 officers for allegedly refusing to work.

As part of the agreement, the government would not pursue criminal action against officers who returned to work Saturday. State authorities did not agree to the demand for pay raises, but said they would analyze the system of promotions.