At least 64 people, including four police officers, have died in the deadliest police operation in Rio de Janeiro’s history. The massive raid on Tuesday targeted the state’s oldest and most powerful criminal organization, the Comando Vermelho (Red Command), in the Alemão and Penha favela complexes.
Record Violence in Anti-Crime Push
The operation, which Governor Cláudio Castro called “the biggest… in the history of Rio de Janeiro,” involved over 2,500 military and civilian police personnel. Its stated aim was to combat the “territorial expansion” of the Comando Vermelho gang.
The confrontation was intense. Video footage showed huge columns of black smoke rising from the Alemão favela as gangs set fire to cars to create barricades. Police reported that gang members used sophisticated tactics, including weaponized drones, to attack officers.
“This is no longer common crime, it is narco-terrorism,” Governor Castro stated in a post on X, emphasizing the scale of the challenge.
By the end of the raid, security officials confirmed that at least 64 people had died, with four of the victims being police officers. Authorities also reported seizing a large quantity of drugs and at least 42 rifles, and making 81 arrests.
Context and Criticism
The raid took place just days before Rio is scheduled to host the C40 World Mayors Summit, reflecting a pattern of major police operations occurring ahead of international events.
The target, Comando Vermelho, is a transnational criminal group involved in drug trafficking and extortion. It originated as a leftist prisoners’ organization during Brazil’s military dictatorship, but has since become a massive gang often locked in violent conflict with the state and rival militias.
The operation has drawn sharp international criticism. The United Nations Human Rights Office stated it was “horrified” by the scale of the violence, arguing that the “deadly operation furthers the trend of extreme lethal consequences of police operations in Brazil’s marginalized communities.” The UN called for a prompt and effective investigation.
The high casualty count far surpassed that of the notorious 2021 Jacarezinho raid, which led Brazil’s Supreme Court to ban most police raids in favelas until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I can help you create a summary of the reactions to this raid from different groups, or write a background brief on the Comando Vermelho gang.
