Over 100 Killed in Brazil’s Deadliest Rio Police Raid

Over 100 Killed in Brazil’s Deadliest Rio Police Raid

Residents of a Rio de Janeiro favela displayed the bodies of their loved ones on Wednesday after Brazil’s deadliest police raid left at least 119 people dead, exposing once again the deep scars of the country’s violent war on drug gangs.

The large-scale operation targeted the powerful Comando Vermelho (Red Command) cartel, which controls major swaths of Rio’s impoverished neighbourhoods. Authorities said the dead included 115 suspected criminals and four police officers.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for a security strategy that combats organised crime without endangering civilians or police officers, warning against the unchecked cycle of violence gripping Brazil’s urban centres.

“We cannot accept that organised crime continues to destroy families, oppress residents, and spread drugs and violence throughout the cities,” Lula wrote on X. He urged “coordinated action” to curb trafficking “without putting innocent people at risk.”

The president dispatched his justice minister, Ricardo Lewandowski, to Rio for talks with state governor Claudio Castro, offering federal assistance to restore order and investigate the crisis.

The violence unfolded in the Complexo da Penha favela, where hundreds of heavily armed police backed by helicopters, armoured vehicles, and drones launched an assault on gang hideouts. Witnesses reported intense gunfire and chaos as terrified residents fled for safety.

By Wednesday, dozens of bodies had been recovered from a nearby forest—some showing signs of execution. “They slit my son’s throat and hung his head from a tree like a trophy,” said Raquel Tomas, whose 19-year-old son was among the dead.

Lawyer Albino Pereira Neto, representing several families, said some victims bore “burn marks” and appeared to have been tied up. “Some were murdered in cold blood,” he claimed.

International concern mounted as the UN condemned the high death toll. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “greatly concerned,” while the UN human rights office described itself as “horrified” and urged swift, independent investigations.

Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has summoned Governor Castro to appear on Monday to explain the police operation.

Authorities defended the raid, claiming it followed more than a year of planning. Police officials said the majority of clashes occurred in the forest bordering the favela, where forces had pushed gang members to minimise civilian casualties.

Governor Castro praised the operation as a “success,” describing it as part of the state’s campaign against what he called “narcoterrorism.”

Police said 113 suspects were detained and 91 rifles seized, along with a significant cache of narcotics.

The deadly crackdown, however, has reignited fierce debate over Brazil’s militarised approach to law enforcement—especially as the country prepares to host the COP30 UN climate summit in the Amazon, where security and human rights will be under global scrutiny.