A massive anti-drug operation has turned the city into a battlefield, with over 100 dead - while authorities officially confirm 64 victims, including 4 police officers.
The bloodiest operation in the state's history took place in the favelas of Alemão and Penha, with over 2,500 police forces targeting the criminal network Comando Vermelho (Red Command), the most powerful drug trafficking faction in Rio.
The criminals responded with extreme violence – drones armed with grenades, automatic rifles, hijacked buses to block the roads. Explosions and gunfire were heard non-stop, as favela residents took refuge in their homes. According to local media, many bodies were found with wounds to the back of the head, raising suspicions of extrajudicial executions.
Governor Cláudio Castro called the action a “war against narco-terrorists” and requested help from the federal government. Meanwhile, acting President Geraldo Alckmin called an emergency meeting to discuss the possibility of military intervention.
Rio is paralyzed – 45 schools closed, public transport in chaos, flights suspended and thousands of citizens stranded.
Authorities warn that the death toll could rise, while the leader of the Comando Vermelho, Edgar Alves Andrade (Doca da Penha), still remains at large.
