Brazilian journalist Valdeck Filho was fired from the TV Aratu police program "In the Crosshairs" on Feb. 3, after declaring his support for the military police strike in the state of Bahia, reported the website Observador Político.

The broadcaster's director did not give a reason for the dismissal but said that the news grieved him and that "in another time, the door would be open for his return." Filho said that he was the victim of "the tyranny of a fascist government" for showing the challenges faced by the police in Bahia, according to the website Pauta Livre.

Filho told Imprensa that the media was "bought" by the government. "They don't look around. The government sends the reports and the media publishes them as is," the journalist said.

Since the police strike started on Jan. 31, the people of Bahia have suffered through a rising crime wave in the eastern state, including a drive-by shooting of a local television station.