The operation launched by the Rio de Janeiro government on Tuesday (28) against the Comando Vermelho faction had international repercussions due to the dozens of deaths. Officially, there are 64 deaths—including four police officers—but the final numbers are expected to exceed 100. Other countries and international entities also spoke out against the high level of lethality.
The UN (United Nations) published a statement last night on its Twitter profile, writing: “Brazil: We are horrified by the ongoing police operation in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, which has resulted, according to reports, in the death of more than 60 people, including four police officers. This lethal operation reinforces the trend of extremely fatal consequences from police actions in Brazil’s marginalized communities. We remind the authorities of their obligations under international human rights law and urge them to conduct prompt and effective investigations.”
The British newspaper The Guardian published an article with the title: “Brazil: At Least 64 Dead in Rio de Janeiro’s Most Violent Day Amid Police Operations.”
The publication then wrote: “The operation—the deadliest in Rio’s history—began in the early hours and involved intense shootouts near the Alemão and Penha favelas, home to approximately 300,000 people.” It added: “Terrifying photos of some of the dead youths spread across social media.”
Shootouts
The Spanish newspaper El País, in its report on the operation, stated that “Rio de Janeiro is experiencing a period of colossal chaos and intense shootouts due to a police action against organized crime that is already the deadliest in the history of the Brazilian city.”
The Le Figaro, the main French newspaper, reports that there is much “controversy over the effectiveness of these large-scale police operations in Rio de Janeiro; however, they are common in the city.”
The New York Times called the police action “the deadliest in Rio’s history, with four police officers killed and at least 60 people dead. It was an attack on ‘narcoterrorists,’ said the state governor.”
The Argentine newspaper Clarín reproduced a post from a Brazilian and published on its site: “It’s not Gaza, it’s Rio.”
The official death toll is expected to rise in the coming hours of this Wednesday (29). More than 50 bodies have already been handed over to the authorities by the local population.
Source: brasil247.com