Marcos Ribeiro do Val (born 15 June 1971) is a Brazilian gun instructor, speaker, politician and former military, member of Podemos (PODE). In the 2018 state election, he was elected senator for Espírito Santo.
Biography
Marcos do Val was conscripted by the Brazilian Army, assigned to the 38th Infantry Battalion, headquartered in Espírito Santo. After an interview in 2008 in TV Globo talk show Programa do Jô, do Val received significative attention from the media, being regularly invited by press vehicles to give his opinion about issues related to public security.
Marcos do Val participated in many events related to public security. As instructor, he also participated in the production of some films and preparation of actors, such as in Elite Squad: The Enemy Within. Besides that, he is used to give interviews about this subject, besides demonstrating tactics he teaches in classes for police officers.
Police training
In the beginning of the 1990s, hefounded CATI, security company focused on advanced training for police officers. Through this company, do Val has ministered courses and lectures which aim to spread many techniques and doctrines inherent to police acting, such as approaches and non-lethal tactical restraints.
According to him, his motivation in developing these techniques and apply them in police units came from his wish to reduce violence and fatal cases in unsuccessful police approaches due to lack of necessary training. Most of these techniques were created by Marcos do Val from his experience serving on the Brazilian Armed Forces, the support of Budokai Martial Arts Center in Vitória and his experience in Aikido, which he's a 2nd grade master and accredited by the International Aikido Federation, based in Tokyo, Japan.
These techniques involve tactics to manipulate and immobilize suspects essentially through the use of hands or hands with cuffs, still involving a context of stress, risk and unpredictability.
Acting abroad
The success with the initial class experiences motived do Val to spread his knowledge to foreign polce officers. In the end of the 1990s, he began working as police instructor in Dallas, Texas, with SWAT units, elite group of the American police. With this unit, and later with other police units in cities such as Beaumont and Rowlett, Texas, and dedicated to master the classes he named "Super SWAT", aimed to the preparation to face critical situations, such as invasions techniques, approaches, immobilization and combat, also following-up some operations.
Year later, he ministered classes for FBI, DEA and U.S. Marshals agents, the Vatican security, the Rome police Carabinieri and for the United States Armed Forces military.
Marcos do Val also became part of the Texas Tactival Police Officers Association, which gather instructors teams to enhance their skills and improve their knowledge.
Eloá Cristina case
In October 2008, after the tragic ending of Eloá Pimentel case, do Val was interviewed by TV Globo Fantástico, when he criticized the failures caused by the Military Police of São Paulo State and governor José Serra. At the occasion, he criticized the state government for allegedly interfering in police actions, which would have partly contributed to the fatality.
According to his evaluation, "there would have to be a police officer with a ballistic shield, Nayara beside him, the officer holding her to approach, to talk. If it's the case, retreat. But not letting her alone, walking, opening the door. The kidnapper felt powerful at this time, because he had his hostage back. It's a serious mistake and I feel ashamed to be Brazilian and known that the Brazilian police did this". His statements caused critics from some people, however, he later was interviewed in Mais Você to explain his position, which he said they were decontextualized, as he had no intention to say he was ashamed of his nationality or the country's police. On the other hand, some people reaffirmed their critics to Marcos do Val, among them, Veja magazine journalist Reinaldo Azevedo, who wrote an article in his webpage named "Who really is the supposed SWAT specialist", where he alleged that Marcos was just a taekwondo teacher. This made do Val to file a lawsuit against the journalist. Later, the original article link was removed.
Political career
In the 2018 elections, Marcos do Val, member of the Popular Socialist Party (PPS), was elected senator for the state of Espírito Santo, receiving 863,359 votes (24.08% of the valid votes). Later, his party was renamed to Cidadania (). In August 2019, he left Cidadania and joined Podemos (PODE).