In Rio de Janeiro, the death toll resulting from a significant police operation targeting a notorious gang climbed to 119 on Wednesday, including four police officers, according to Brazilian authorities. Initially reported as 60 suspected gang members and four police officers, the toll increased following the operation involving 2,500 police and soldiers, leading to clashes in two low-income neighborhoods of the city.
The number of suspects arrested rose to 113 from 81, as confirmed by police spokesperson Felipe Curi during a news briefing. This operation marked one of Brazil’s most violent incidents in recent memory, prompting human rights organizations to call for thorough investigations into the fatalities.
Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski stated that the federal government was not informed in advance about the raids, expressing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s shock at the high casualty count. Lewandowski intends to hold discussions with provincial officials in Rio regarding the matter.
The operation, which involved helicopters and armored vehicles, targeted the infamous Red Command gang in the extensive, low-income favelas of Complexo de Alemao and Penha, as per police statements. The raid took place ahead of Rio hosting the C40 global summit of mayors addressing climate change next week, leading up to COP30, the United Nations climate summit scheduled for November in the Amazon city of Belem.
The United Nations’ human rights body condemned the deadly police operation, urging for thorough investigations and reminding authorities of their obligations under international human rights law. César Muñoz, the director of Human Rights Watch in Brazil, referred to the events as a “huge tragedy” and a “disaster,” emphasizing the need for the public prosecutor’s office to conduct independent investigations to clarify the circumstances surrounding each death.
Footage circulating on social media depicted fire and smoke billowing from the favelas as gunfire erupted during the operation. The city’s Education Department reported the closure of 46 schools in the affected neighborhoods, with the nearby Federal University of Rio de Janeiro canceling night classes and advising individuals on campus to seek shelter.
In response to the raid, suspected gang members blocked roads in northern and southeastern Rio, with reports indicating that around 70 buses were seized for use in blockades, causing significant disruptions, according to the city’s transit organization Rio Onibus. The operation, which followed a year-long investigation into the criminal group, has raised discussions on the need for enhanced government support in combating crime.
The Red Command criminal gang, emerging from Rio’s prisons, has expanded its influence in favelas in recent years, contributing to the city’s long history of lethal police raids. Sociologist and public safety expert Luis Flavio Sapori highlighted the unprecedented scale of casualties in Tuesday’s operation, labeling them as “war numbers” and criticizing the lack of strategic effectiveness in Rio de Janeiro’s public security policy.
The Marielle Franco Institute, a non-profit organization established by the family of the slain councilwoman in 2018, denounced the operation as a “policy of extermination” rather than a public safety strategy, emphasizing the impact on Black and low-income communities.