This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Authorities in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo have indicted more than 700 striking military police officers as the federal government sent in more troops in an effort to end a week of violent anarchy that has left more than 120 people dead.

The public safety director, André Garcia, said on Friday that 703 officers had been charged with the “crime of revolt”.

Lawlessness on the streets of Brazil – in pictures Read more

Espírito Santo is one of several Brazilian states grappling with a budget crisis that is crippling essential public services for millions of citizens. The police strike over the past week, over pay, has left a security vacuum and led to rampant assaults, heists and looting, often in broad daylight.



State authorities said on Friday that they had reached a deal with strikers and police were expected to return to work by 7am on Saturday. But some relatives of striking police officers said the unions that made the deal did not represent them.

Brazil’s military police force patrols the country’s cities and its members are barred by law from going on strike.



Limited protests by police in nearby Rio de Janeiro alarmed many residents of the teeming city of 12 million people, many of whom live in fear of violence between rival drug gangs spilling out of hillside slums.



A spokesman for the local police union in Espírito Santo said the death toll from a week of unrest had risen to 122. Many of the dead are believed to come from rival criminal gangs, according to police.



State officials have not officially confirmed the number of dead. If accurate, the toll would be more than six times the homicide rate in the state last year.

President Michel Temer’s government said late on Thursday that hundreds more soldiers and federal police would be sent in to help stem the chaos, focused mostly in the metropolitan region of Vitória, the state capital.



After an initial deployment of 1,200 troops in recent days, as many as 3,000 would be there by the weekend, the defence ministry said.



State officials said on Friday that more than 700 striking state officers, who in Brazil are organised with military-style ranks and rules, would be charged with rebellion.



Wives and family members who have blockaded police stations could also face fines and other penalties, they said.



“We will not be weak,” said Garcia, the secretary. “We will ensure that the rule of law is preserved.”



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Civil police remove the corpses of two women murdered in Vitória, where the militarised police are on strike. Photograph: Antonio Lacerda/EPA

Local officials have closed schools, clinics and public transportation, while shops and other businesses have closed their shutters, causing about $30m in losses, according to a state retail association.



Meanwhile, in Rio, where the state government has been struggling to pay salaries, family members of some officers blocked the entrance to a handful of local police stations early on Friday in an effort to keep squad members from patrolling.

The tactic, which on a much larger scale has paralysed Espírito Santo, affected just a few districts. By Friday afternoon, no major problems had been reported.



Brazil sends 200 troops to control lethal violence sparked by police strike Read more

Police officials, who said they detained one Rio officer for encouraging a strike online, said that 95% of the force was working.



The department tweeted photographs of patrol cars and officers at their posts across the city, Brazil’s most popular destination for foreign tourists and famed around the world for its colourful Carnival celebration.



Social networks and messaging platforms in Rio have buzzed in recent days with rumours of a pending police shutdown, as Carnival looms at the end of the month. However, officials have said they do not expect a full-fledged strike.



In addition to late pay and budget cutbacks that have curtailed their ability to buy basic supplies, Rio’s police have recently been clashing with protesters demonstrating against a push by the state government to cut costs and sell state assets, including the local water utility.