
Around 130 people were killed in Rio de Janeiro during the bloodiest day of violence in the city, where over 2,500 police and special forces attacked a favela area near the international airport, considered the headquarters of one of the most powerful criminal groups in Brazil.
During the fierce clashes, criminals set up barricades, burned buses and set up makeshift checkpoints, paralyzing traffic and spreading fear in several areas of the city. According to reports from Brazilian media, thousands of members of the criminal group have been involved in the armed clash with the police.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes reacted strongly, stressing that the city "cannot and will not be held hostage by criminals who want to sow fear in the streets."
Due to the worsening situation, local authorities have raised the alert level to level 2, while 45 schools, clinics and health centers in the affected areas have been temporarily closed.
The operation, which has involved over 2,500 troops, is ongoing, and authorities warn that the death toll could rise. The affected area is one of the city's most populous, with around 280,000 residents, and fears of violence erupting at night remain high.
However, human rights activists in the country have raised concerns, stating that many of those considered criminals killed by police have bullet marks on their backs and heads, indicating that they were killed without resistance or after being arrested.