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Disputed Death Toll Tops 100 After Rio’s Largest Police Raid

Human-rights outcry prompts Supreme Court scrutiny alongside federal demands for a full accounting.

Overview

  • The Rio public defender’s office reported 132 dead, while official counts have ranged from about 60 to 119, including four police officers.
  • Operation Containment deployed roughly 2,500 officers with helicopters and armored vehicles targeting the Comando Vermelho in the Alemao and Penha complexes.
  • Authorities said 81 suspects were arrested and about 90 rifles plus large quantities of drugs were seized during the one-day sweep.
  • Residents lined streets with bodies and alleged executions, as the UN human rights office urged swift, independent investigations.
  • Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Governor Claudio Castro to explain the operation at a Monday hearing, and Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski met state officials in Rio.