Brazilian Prostitute Plans to Sue US Embassy, Marines for Causing Injury

A Brazilian prostitute is planning to sue the US embassy in Brazil and three marines for injuries she suffered as she was allegedly pushed out of an embassy van by one of the marines.

The Brazilian sex professional and dancer, Romilda Aparecida Ferreira, is planning to sue for injuries, medical expenses, lost income and psychological trauma, according to her attorney, Cezar Britto.

According to the 31-year-old Ferreira, she and the three other women left with the marines in three vehicles from a Brasilia night club on 29 December, 2011. She was tossed out of the vehicle by a marine following an argument.

"I tried to get up and grabbed the doorknob. That was when they told the driver to go. Then I felt my leg burning. I let go and fell underneath the van. I hit my head and passed out," Ferreira told the Jornal Nacional news programme.

She suffered multiple injuries leaving her collarbone and two ribs broken and a lung punctured. She had to be in hospital for 12 days and had to undergo surgeries for the injuries.

The US government says the marines did not shove her out, instead she was hit while trying to enter the moving vehicle. The US State Department maintains that they tracked down Ferreira and paid her medical expenses.

According to a Daily Mail report quoting Brazilian police, four US embassy officials had hired a group of prostitutes at a night club. One of the marines left with a woman in a taxi while others including Ferreira travelled in the embassy van with the other three men.

Following an argument over payment, one of the marines pushed Ferreira out of the car and was hit by the vehicle.

The ranks of the marines were reduced following the incident.

Earlier, 24 secret service agents and army service men were suspended for allegedly partying with the prostitutes in Columbia ahead of Obama's visit to Bogota.