Pope Francis calls mother of assassinated Rio councilwoman

RIO DE JANEIRO – A nonprofit organization says the mother of a councilwoman shot dead in Rio de Janeiro has received a call from Pope Francis.

Fundacion Alameda, whose leader is a close friend of the pope, said in its Twitter account Wednesday that the mother of Marielle Franco talked to the pontiff.

Thousands of Brazilians have taken to the streets to demand answers about Franco's assassination, which shook the nation amid a spike in violent crime.

Franco and a driver were killed last Wednesday after the councilwoman participated in an event on empowering black women.

She was elected in 2016 and had been a vocal critic of the military's takeover of Rio's security.