Key Takeaways
- At least 64 killed in Rio’s largest-ever police raid on drug gangs
- 2,500 officers backed by armored vehicles and helicopters targeted Comando Vermelho
- Gangs used drones to drop bombs in unprecedented escalation
- Police seized 42 rifles and arrested 81 people
Rio de Janeiro witnessed its deadliest police operation on Tuesday as at least 64 people were killed during massive raids targeting drug traffickers in the Complexo da Penha and Complexo do Alemao favelas. State Governor Claudio Castro described the operation as the largest in Rio’s history, involving 2,500 heavily-armed officers backed by armored vehicles, helicopters and drones.
War-Like Scenes in Northern Rio
Gunfire echoed near Rio’s international airport as smoke billowed from several fires hours after the raids began. Residents scrambled for cover while shops closed their doors. Police reported that gangs were using drones to fight back in an unprecedented escalation of violence.
Governor Castro confirmed 60 suspected gang members were killed, while four police officers also lost their lives. The operation continued into late Tuesday afternoon, targeting the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) gang that the central government said was expanding its operations.
Terrified Residents Describe Chaos
AFP journalists witnessed police guarding about 20 young people sitting shirtless on sidewalks in the Vila Cruzeiro neighborhood. “This is the first time we’ve seen drones dropping bombs in the community,” said one Penha resident who spoke anonymously. “Everyone is terrified because there’s so much gunfire.”
The operation paralyzed traffic across the seaside city. “We’re left without buses, without anything, in this chaos and not knowing what to do,” said 70-year-old retiree Regina Pinheiro.
Massive Police Mobilization
Police deployed two helicopters, 32 armored vehicles, and 12 demolition vehicles to destroy barricades erected by drug traffickers in the narrow favela streets. Authorities seized at least 42 rifles along with large quantities of drugs and arrested 81 people.
Governor Castro posted video evidence on X showing gang-controlled drones launching projectiles. “This is not ordinary crime, but narcoterrorism,” he declared, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing security forces.
Growing Criticism and Context
Congressman Henrique Vieira, an evangelical pastor, condemned the operation, accusing the state government of treating favelas as “enemy territory with a license to shoot and kill.”
The raid marks the deadliest in Rio’s history, surpassing the 2021 operation that left 28 dead. Last year, approximately 700 people died during police operations in Rio – nearly two daily.
Brazil’s Supreme Court had imposed restrictions on favela operations in 2020 but lifted them this year. Human rights organizations and experts consistently criticize such operations as ineffective against criminal organizations.
The Rio State Legislative Assembly’s Human Rights Commission will demand explanations for what Congresswoman Dani Monteiro called an action that “transformed Rio’s favelas into a theater of war and barbarism.”
