very complicated.

The performance level

oI securILy and cIose proLecLIon oIBcers In
ErazII Is crILIcaIIy Iow, LLe LraInIn perIod
for anyone in the sector is very short, and
LLe weapons used are preLIsLorIc! TLe
whole system is geared around regular
cops increasing their regular low salary by
working extra hours in the private security
market. Added to that the frustration of a
corrupt system that promotes crime with no
enforcement of sentences. Nothing like the
UK or USA.
TT: What were your goals and objectives
for MAF Protection?
MF: Mainly to provide a US and UK security
perIormance modeI In ErazII, based on
honesty, integrity and professionalism,
thereby leaving the customer in complete
safety and comfort. My goal is to protect
people so they can work securely or visit the
country safely.
TT: What sort of people do you provide
security for?
MF: Mainly executives and businessmen
LraveIIIn Lo ErazII and BouLL AmerIca, as
well as the corporate sector and government
members within the country.
TT: Why do they need security?
MF: Today, In ErazII, LLere Is a Iare
consumption of crack which has resulted in a
sInIBcanL Increase In mIcrocrIme. Drus are
the primary factor for most of the violence in
South America. Levels of violence and crime
are high and can occur anywhere and often
InvoIve Brearms or oLLer weapons. BLanLy
Lowns, or IaveIas, exIsL In aII major ErazIIIan
cILIes, LLey are cLaracLerIzed by poverLy
and extremely high levels of violent crime
which ranges from attacking people near or
inside their own car, robbing them and then
stealing their car to kidnapping for extortion
and express kidnappings, where the victim
is taken and made to withdraw money from
casL macLInes. TLe oranIzed crIme roups
in South America are strongly armed with
everyLLIn Irom AK47 Lo auLomaLIc weapons
and more.
TT: Tell me more about the criminal
organisations.
MF: IL Is ImporLanL Lo noLe LLaL ErazII Is
a transit country for cocaine produced in
Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. The fact that
ErazII borders LLe LLree major cocaIne
producing countries, added to a well-
developed communication infrastructure,
makes ErazII a major rouLe Ior drus desLIned
for the United States and European markets.
These factors have facilitated the formation
oI IInks beLween ErazIIIan oranIzed crIme
and Colombian criminal groups, such
as the Colombian Armed Revolutionary
Forces or FARC. There are also criminal
oranIzaLIons LLaL move LLe crIme In and ouL
oI LLe prIsoner sysLem and In Bo FauIo LLe
main group is the PCC or Primeiro Comando
da Capital, and in Rio de Janeiro the Red
Command. And recently, in Rio de Janeiro,
militia groups have been formed from ex-
police and army, expelled from the Force,
and now BLL Ior LLe manaemenL oI weapons
and drus LraIBckIn, covered oI course by
corrupt politicians and high-ranking police
oIBcers.
TT: Sounds like a pretty tough environment
to work in the protection industry! How
much can bodyguards earn in Brazil?
MF: For the freelancer, normally around
2S0UBD per day on sLorLLerm assInmenLs
or Irom 2S00UBD Lo 4000UBD IonLerm
monthly salary. Cops dont need license or
a weapon license to work as a bodyguard,
buL oLLer securILy oIBcers need Lo aLLend
an initial one month training course, and
then work for a year in general security, and
then after that attend a one-week bodyguard
LraInIn course. 0nIy ErazIIIans or IoreIners
wLo Lave obLaIned ErazIIIan cILIzensLIp can
work as a bodyuard In ErazII.
**************************************
You can contact Mario
Email: directory@mafprotection.com
Website: www. mafprotection.com
Tel: +89 884 128 9881
Facebook: LLLps://www.Iacebook.com/marIo.a.Iava
**************************************
TT: You are not originally from Brazil, so
where did you grow up?
MF: Actually, I grew up in a little mountain
city in Italy, in the Aosta valley, situated
beLween Erance and BwILzerIand. I LLen
spent a year in Zurich, then lived in Milan
Ior a wLIIe, and LLen moved Lo Bo FauIo
and FIo de JaneIro, ErazII. ILaIy was an easy
IIIe, BwILzerIand a IILLIe more dIIBcuIL, ErazII
very, very dIIBcuIL because cuILuraIIy ErazII
is so very different to Europe.
TT: So, when and where did you start your
career in security?
MF: InILIaIIy I was a rIBeman In LLe ILaIIan
army and Sergeant Instructor at the Military
Mountain School, sectioned to the Italian
Military Police, performing security border
patrol and public safety operations. After I left
the army, I worked as a private investigator
and securILy oIBcer Ior a smaII FI company In
the Aosta valley, and then worked for quite a
while for a much bigger agency in Milan. In
1997, I wenL Lo IIve In Bo FauIo, ErazII and
set up my own company MA FAVA Segurana
e Investigaoes, a contractor advising
LLe BaIeLy 0IBce and FoIIce DeparLmenL,
providing intelligence and investigation
services for the Government and the Private
BecurILy IndusLry. In 2001, I Iounded MAE
Protection Control Risks Group LTDA-ME,
a leading provider of executive protection,
international security advice, investigations
and army and poIIce LraInIn. In 2008, I
obLaIned my ErazIIIan cILIzensLIp and was
IIcensed as a CIose FroLecLIon 0IBcer by LLe
EederaI FoIIce BecurILy 0IBcer, and I worked
with the Colorado Group as CP Team Leader.
TT: What sort of training did you have?
MF: Whilst in the Italian army I had military
special operation training which included
mountain rescue and survival in extreme
conditions. I have also had tactical weapon
and self-defense training for my close
protection and private investigator license.
In ErazII, I aIso Lad a sLron poIIce LraInIn
background in SWAT, CQB, sniper and
Dignitary Protection Training. I have been
training on and off for 25 years and am really
experIenced In LLe BeId.
TT: What is the difference between private
security in Italy and Brazil?
MF: In Italy, the security industry is
very IowproBIe and LLe bodyuard
proIessIon Is noL reaIIy reconIzed so
theres a big problem for anyone trying
to develop a career in this sector in Italy.
In ErazII, Lowever, LLe securILy IndusLry Is
With criminal gangs and drug cartels,
Bo FauIo Is LLe IaresL cILy In ErazII and one oI
the toughest places in the world to work as a bodyguard.
Mario Fava chats to TOUGH TALK about what it takes to be a
protection specialist in one of the highest crime-rate cities in the world.
Bummer 2018 tough talk magazine 27 26 tough talk magazine Bummer 2018
Interview: Mario Fava Interview: Mario Fava