Governor Accused of Creating a «Massacre Spectacle» After Deadly Police Operation in Rio Favelas: At Least 64 Killed

Original article: Acusan a gobernador bolsonarista de hacer un «espectáculo de la masacre» tras brutal operativo en favelas de Río de Janeiro: Hay al menos 64 muertos

At least 64 fatalities, including four police officers, have been reported following a brutal anti-drug police operation in two favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking it as the deadliest operation of its kind in the city’s history.

According to an EFE report, approximately 2,500 officers were deployed during the action, which began early on Tuesday, October 28, in the Penha and Alemão favelas, and was still ongoing as confirmed by the Civil Police.

Authorities stated that the operation aims to apprehend the leaders of the so-called «Comando Vermelho» (Red Command), a criminal organization specifically identified as involved in drug and arms trafficking.

«Their operational center is in the state of Rio, where they control several neighborhoods in the city. They also have a significant presence across much of the country, particularly in the Amazon region,» noted the EFE report.

As part of the operation, temporary school closures were mandated, and traffic disruptions occurred on several major avenues, affecting over 100 bus routes. The Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro also suspended its activities, among other urban impacts.

Criticism from Human Rights Organizations

A coalition of 27 Brazilian human rights organizations labelled the police operation in Rio a «massacre perpetrated by the Brazilian state.»

Among the NGOs that signed the declaration are Amnesty International (AI), Global Justice, Conectas, and the Observatory of Favelas, who stated that the action not only highlights the failures and structural violence of security policies but has also plunged the city into a «state of terror.»

In this context, they pointed to Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro (an ally of Bolsonaro) as being «responsible for 4 out of the 5 most lethal actions» in the city’s recent history: «What is described as the largest operation in Rio’s history is, in fact, a massacre carried out by the Brazilian state, following a tragic history of killings by police forces,» the NGOs declared.

Another critical voice came from the Commission for the Defense of Human Rights and Citizenship of the Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly, which called for explanations from the Public Ministry and the Civil and Military Police regarding the circumstances of the so-called «Operation Convención,» as reported by Tiempo Argentino.

Regarding this, the Commission’s president, Deputy Dani Monteiro (PSOL), stated that «no security policy can be sustained with this bloodbath. We are facing an unprecedented lethal operation. The State cannot continue to act as if the death penalty were in place, nor as if the favelas were enemy territory or a stage for a spectacle.»

«It is concerning that Governor Claudio Castro insists on acting alone,» criticized the legislator, adding that «public safety is achieved through planning, intelligence, and respect for life, not through the dramatization of massacres.»

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