The authorities described the operation as the largest ever against the Comando Vermelho criminal group.
The death toll confirmed by Rio Governor Claudio Castro, which included four police officers, was more than double the deadliest previous police operation in Rio.
Castro confirmed that 81 people were arrested as officers attempted to serve 250 arrest and search warrants in an operation targeting alleged drug lords and their money laundering operations.
“We stand firm against narco-terrorism,” Castro wrote on social media.
He added that 2,500 members of the security forces participated in the operation in the Alemao and Penha favelas. We are talking about the poor, densely populated suburbs of Rio, Brazil’s second largest city. The favelas are located near the international airport.
After the operation began, smoke billowed over the city’s spectacular landmarks early Tuesday as gangs torched cars to slow the advance of the armored vehicles, Hina reported.
Police released videos showing suspects using drones armed with grenades against police.
After the fiercest fighting had subsided, a Reuters reporter saw special police officers rounding up dozens of men stripped to the waist. Sobbing family members gathered in front of the public hospital to help the injured.
Conflicts have disrupted the routine of dozens of schools and medical institutions, bus lines have been rerouted, and traffic in several districts has been significantly hampered.
Some civil society associations criticized the large number of casualties in the military-style operation. Carolina Ricardo, executive director of the Sou da Paz security think tank, called it a tragedy.
“This is a completely flawed approach because it doesn’t really target the links in the drug production chain,” Ricardo said.
Major police operations are not uncommon ahead of major international events in Rio. They took place before the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2024 G20 summit.
Next week, Rio will host a gathering of C40 world mayors and the presentation of Britain’s Prince William Earthshot Award, which will be attended by pop star Kylie Minogue and four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Both events are a prelude to the United Nations COP30 climate summit to be held in Belem, a city in the Amazon in northern Brazil. The climate summit will last from November 10 to 21.
(Vijesti.ba)
