UPDATE 3-Two ex-cops charged with killing activist Brazilian politician

Two former police officers were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly killing a local councilwoman and her driver, Rio de Janeiro prosecutors said, describing a breakthrough in a crime that had sent shock waves through a country numbed by rising violence. The arrests came just days before the first anniversary of the deaths of Marielle Franco, a black, openly gay and progressive councilwoman born in a poor Rio neighborhood and her driver, Anderson Gomes.

Franco was a vocal critic of Rio police for their often-deadly gang-busting operations in the city's slums, and took stands against paramilitary militias, comprised of current and former police, who are de-facto bosses across wide swaths of the city. "Two police officers were arrested with a direct and effective participation in the crime," said Marcus Vinícius Braga, Rio de Janeiro state police secretary. "With these arrests, we are getting close to solving the crime."

Despite the claims of a breakthrough, some were skeptical. "The case is not yet over," said one local prosecutor, who asked for anonymity to comment about a case in which he was not involved. "They still need to know the motive of the crime and who ordered it." "I don't like how politicized the case has become ... we need to be very cautious," the prosecutor added.

The suspects were identified as Ronnie Lessa, a retired military police officer, and Élcio Vieira de Queiroz, a policeman who was expelled from the force. Flavio Bolsonaro, a son of the Brazilian president, has been accused of having ties to Rio's militias while he was a Rio state lawmaker.

Lessa lives in the same wealthy, beachside community where President Jair Bolsonaro has a home, according to authorities, who did not say if they knew each other, of if Bolsonaro was linked in any way. Authorities have not tied him to the crime. Shortly after their arrests, a photo supposedly of Queiroz circulated on social media, wearing a police T-shirt, with his arm around Jair Bolsonaro.

Local news outlets reported the photo was taken from Queiroz's Facebook profile. Reuters was unable to locate the profile, or verify the authenticity of the photo. The president's press office did not respond to a request for comment.

Investigators said Lessa fired the shots that killed Franco and Gomes on March 14, 2018, while Queiroz drove the car that ambushed them. Franco, a human rights and women's rights activist, was a rising star in the Socialism and Liberty Party. Her press secretary, Fernanda Chaves, who was traveling in the same vehicle, suffered minor injuries.

Thousands took to the streets in protest across Brazil after the killings, which drew international condemnation from rights groups. According to the document detailing the charges, "it is undisputed that Marielle Francisco da Silva was summarily executed because of the political causes that she defended."

It remained to be seen if there are any repercussions for the president, who is in the midst of negotiating with Congress on pension reform. Economists say the reform is key to steadying the country's rickety public finances. Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator, is being investigated for alleged money laundering during his time as a Rio state lawmaker, and is under pressure to explain how family members of one of the city's most powerful militia leaders ended up on his legislative payroll at the time. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga; Additional reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Bernadette Baum and Jeffrey Benkoe)