The deadly raid targeted multiple sprawling urban communities in central Rio, with police setting up the massive operation after localizing dos Santos using intelligence. Some 150 military police officers were involved in the operation which targeted the favelas of Prazeres, Fallet, Fogueteiro, Coroa, Escondidinho and Paula Ramos. Weapons including rifles, pistols and revolvers were seized during the confrontation. The Secretary of the Military Police Col. Marcelo de Menezes described those targeted as "narco-terrorists" during a press conference, emphasizing the intelligence-led nature of the operation. The exact evidence or intelligence that led police to locate dos Santos has not been disclosed by authorities.
Civilian casualties included a local resident killed in the crossfire, with police also reporting a local couple was taken hostage and the man was killed in the shootout that ensued. The woman was rescued from the hostage situation, though the exact circumstances and justification for the killing of the local resident caught in the crossfire remain unclear. According to police, dos Santos was injured during confrontations, taken to a hospital, and did not survive his injuries. A woman who was with dos Santos was also hit and taken to the same health unit, with her current condition and prognosis unknown.
In retaliation for the police operation, criminals set fire to a bus and blocked roads in Rio's central zone. According to The Independent - Main, bus driver Márcio Sousa described attackers boarding the vehicle with two bottles of gasoline. The scale of law enforcement response to these retaliatory attacks shows discrepancies in reporting, with some sources indicating four people were arrested for acts of vandalism while others report five arrests. Military police personnel will remain in the area indefinitely to ensure security and guarantee freedom of movement, according to Secretary of the Military Police Col. Marcelo de Menezes. Two police officers were injured during the operation, according to police reports.
Rio state's military police announced an investigation into police conduct following preliminary analysis of Wednesday's operation in the Prazeres favela which found the 'improper use' of body cameras. The officers involved were transferred from operational duty to administrative activities to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation by the military police internal affairs division. The status and expected outcome of this internal affairs investigation into the four police officers removed from duty has not been specified by authorities. This investigation comes amid broader scrutiny of police operations in Rio's favelas, particularly following previous controversial raids.
The attackers boarded the vehicle with two bottles of gasoline.
Dos Santos, identified as a drug-trafficking boss and member of the Red Command criminal organization, had an extensive criminal background with approximately 10 outstanding arrest warrants targeting him and 135 entries on his criminal record. According to authorities, dos Santos was involved in the murder of Italian tourist Roberto Bardella in December 2016. Police also attribute to dos Santos leadership of the criminal group that carried out a shooting attack on the city hall building in 2011. His death represents a significant blow to Red Command operations in central Rio, though the long-term impact on criminal activities in the affected favelas remains to be seen.
This latest operation occurs against the backdrop of previous deadly raids against Red Command, including last year's huge raid that resulted in more than 120 deaths in Penha and Complexo de Alemao favelas, the most lethal in Rio's history. The death toll from last year's raid sparked protests and calls for Gov. Cláudio Castro's resignation, highlighting ongoing tensions between security forces and favela communities. Wednesday's operation generated criticism, including by left-wing state lawmaker Renata Souza, though the specific criticisms she raised have not been detailed in available reports. The broader context includes ongoing debates about police tactics in Brazil's urban centers and their impact on civilian populations.
Separately from the favela operation, police in Rio de Janeiro have arrested eight people for brutally beating a capybara – the world's largest rodent. In an incident filmed by security cameras before dawn on Saturday, a group of attackers beat the capybara with sticks and iron bars in the neighbourhood of Ilha do Governador. The attackers – including two minors – were identified through CCTV footage and arrested on Saturday, according to police. The capybara, a 65kg (143lb) male, was taken to the Wildlife Care Center (CRAS) at the private Estacio University in south-western Rio, though its current condition has not been reported.
These events unfold within Brazil's broader political context, where President Lula da Silva won the presidential election in Brazil in October and was inaugurated on January 1, 2023. On January 8, supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro attacked the Congress, the presidential palace, and the Supreme Court in the capital Brasília, creating a tense political environment. The security challenges facing the new administration include both political violence and ongoing criminal operations in urban centers like Rio de Janeiro. How Lula's government addresses these interconnected security issues will be closely watched in the coming months, particularly given the historical tensions around police operations in favela communities.