At least 132 people were killed in a massive raid on the Red Command gang in Rio de Janeiro, leaving Brazil to witness the scariest police operation in its history. The operation unfolded in the Penha favela complex on Tuesday, triggering widespread outrage after shocking visuals showed bodies lined across streets and sidewalks.
Raid turns into bloodbath
According to the state public defender’s office, the raid involved nearly 2,500 officers drawn from elite units, military police, and civil forces. It was aimed at dismantling the Red Command’s stronghold in Rio’s northern favelas. State officials initially reported 58 deaths, but by Wednesday the toll had more than doubled as forensic teams continued recovering bodies from the surrounding hillsides.
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As per a report of The Washington Post Governor Cláudio Castro defended the operation, saying those killed were “armed criminals” and that “the conflict wasn’t in a built-up area… I don’t believe anyone was just strolling in the woods on a day of conflict.” His remarks drew sharp criticism from residents who accused police of arriving “directly to kill.”
In a post on X on Tuesday afternoon, Castro pronounced the raid “the biggest operation in the history of Rio de Janeiro.”
Residents described the reporters the scenes of terror stating that they saw people being dragged from homes, tied up, and shot. Activist Raul Santiago said what happened “cannot be considered public safety,” citing accounts of victims shot in the back. Lawyer Albino Pereira Neto alleged that several of the dead were executed “in cold blood.”
Global outcry and political fallout
The United Nations Human Rights Office said it was “horrified” by the scale of the killings and urged Brazilian authorities to open an independent investigation. A spokesperson in Geneva said the agency was “deeply concerned by credible reports of summary executions.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed shock at the death toll and said the federal government had not been informed in advance about the operation. Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski described the scale of the violence as “unacceptable,” adding that the state must ensure accountability for every death.
As quoted by the Reuters, by early Wednesday, grieving families gathered in Penha, placing dozens of bodies along the pavements in a silent, haunting protest. “I just want to take my son and bury him,” said Taua Brito, who had been searching for her son among the dead for hours.
The raid felt like a military invasion, as stated by community leaders. Because locals feared more clashes as shops and schools stayed closed the entire day.
As authorities look into the circumstances of each death and identify the victims, the city is currently under strict security. What started out as an effort to combat organised crime has evolved into a national debate about the use of force and what justice in Brazil's favelas means.
