The most deadly raid in Brazilian history occurred in a state police operation targeting a major drug gang in Brazil, killing 132 people in low-income neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro.
Less than half of those killed in the favelas, the Portuguese word for slum, were initially reported by authorities. Since then, protests against excessive police use have erupted, and activists have called on the governor of Rio to step down for what they have called a “slaughter.”
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According to state police, the Tuesday operation had been planned for months. The “sting” aimed to entice suspects into a hillside of protected wilderness where special operations units were awaiting their ambush.
Difficulty of favela residents gathered in front of the state government’s main office the day after, yelling “assassins”! shortly after family members in one of the targeted areas dumped dozens of bodies.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was one of those who expressed shock at the death toll. Lula, Brazil’s justice minister, claimed that the federal government had not been informed or asked to participate in the operation in advance.
What transpired?
In Rio’s northern neighborhoods of Penha Complex and Alemao Complex, police launched a predawn raid on foot and in armored cars, targeting the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) gang, one of Brazil’s oldest criminal organizations.
The gang, which began in Rio’s prisons in the 1970s, has since grown and is now a dominant force in the Amazon. Drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and protection racketeering are some of its criminal activities.
2,500 police and soldiers were involved in the assault on Tuesday. Many people waited close to the targeted sites in wooded areas, where the majority of the killings took place. The two neighbourhoods experienced chaos as a result of Red Command’s response to the government forces.
Schools were closed in the affected areas, and several roads had been blocked. A nearby university had cancelled its classes. Additionally, many stores in the two districts shut down on Wednesday.
How many people were killed, and what was taken?
According to Rio state governor Claudio Castro, a far-right ally of Jair Bolsonaro, forensic investigations are still being conducted. He maintained that there were currently 58 people killed, including four police officers, at the time.
However, a report from the public attorney’s office, which assists the underprivileged, stated that the figure was actually 132.
The state government claimed 118 weapons and more than a tonne of drugs were taken following the raid. Castro referred to the operation as a “success” on Wednesday. In a video released on X, he described the raid as a “historic day in the fight against crime in Rio de Janeiro.”
Sigo acompagnonating this historical dia without waging a war against Rio de Janeiro’s criminality.
A decision must be made in order to determine whether or not the next two years will be necessary to determine the number of probable passes in the present. pic. https://twitter.com/seFOP9JmIu
A hearing with the governor and the heads of the military and civil police are scheduled for Monday in Rio and Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Court ordered Castro to provide information about the police operation.
Residents of Penha gathered next to numerous bodies laid out in a square on Wednesday and yelled “justice”! before the remains were retrieved by forensic experts.
Brazilian crime journalist Rafael Soares claimed that Red Command has recently launched an offensive in Rio de Janeiro, reclaiming territory it had lost to First Capital Command, as its main rival.
Are there any violent police raids in Brazil?
In Brazil’s favelas, police frequently launch deadly raids against criminal organizations.
However, police in Brazil that have over 20 fatalities are “very uncommon” in Soares’ opinion. And Rio is the hub for those.
Prior to this, the city’s most deadly police raid in the Jacarezinho neighborhood in 2021 resulted in 29 fatal injuries. 19 people were killed in a second raid on the Alemao Complex in 2022, which involved 400 officers, helicopters, and armored vehicles.
In Sao Paulo in 1992, when police stormed the Carandiru Penitentiary to oust a rebellion, 111 prisoners were killed.
What response does the government offer?
Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski described the raid as “very bloody” and expressed his condolences to the families of those who were “innocent people” killed while on a trip to the state of Ceara on Tuesday. According to him, Lula was “horrified” by the number of fatalities.
The government will also be monitoring public responses. Prior to the national elections in the upcoming year, national violence is a crucial issue. According to a survey conducted by Parana Pesquisas, a national pollster, nearly 50% of Brazilians believe security has declined under Lula.
Lula stated on social media that organized crime in Brazil continues to “destroy families, oppress residents, and spread drugs and violence across cities.”
The president was previously accused of protecting criminal organizations by opposition lawmakers the day before. The president of the traffickers must be angry. In reference to gang members who died during the Rio de Janeiro operation, Gilvan da Federal told Congress. “He lost voters in Rio.
What was the response of the raid’s response from humanitarian organizations?
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Marta Hurtado, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN, has been critical of the brutality of the raid this week.
We fully comprehend the difficulties that come with dealing with violent and well-organized organizations like Red Command, she said.
She added that Brazil should “break this cycle of extreme brutality” and make sure law enforcement uses of force are compliant with international standards.
