At least 132 people have been killed in a two-day-long police operation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to a statement released by the Rio prosecutor’s office on Wednesday (October 29).
The Brazilian federal government said the operation was launched to dismantle a criminal organization known as the “Red Command”, which has been expanding its control over several slum areas (favelas) in Rio in recent months.
Around 2,500 heavily armed police officers took part in the operation that began on Tuesday. Armored vehicles, helicopters, and drones were deployed to assist them. The operation has mainly been concentrated in two impoverished districts in northern Rio — Complexo da Penha and Complexo do Alemão — known to be strongholds of Brazil’s largest drug trafficking gang.
Rio’s state governor Cláudio Castro described the ongoing operation as the largest in the city’s history.
Bodies have reportedly piled up on Rio’s streets during the operation, and scenes of grief and wailing relatives have filled the city. Heavy gunfire was heard near Rio International Airport on Tuesday, and plumes of smoke were visible across several parts of the city for hours after the operation began.
The situation worsened when criminals used drones to drop bombs in retaliation, causing widespread panic as residents fled in search of safety.
Governor Castro claimed that at least 60 suspected criminals were killed on the first day of the operation. An official from his administration told AFP that four police officers were also among the dead.
Last year, during a similar police operation in Rio, around 700 people were killed in just two days.
In 2020, Brazil’s courts had imposed restrictions on anti-drug raids in favelas — banning the use of helicopters and operations near schools or healthcare facilities. However, all such restrictions were lifted earlier this year.
Human rights groups have condemned the ongoing raids, arguing that such police operations against criminal gangs are ineffective and cause unnecessary loss of life.
