Rio Police Pull Back From Andaraí Churches After Threats, Mass Plans in Doubt

Overview

• Less than a day after installing a trailer outside São Cosme e São Damião, the Military Police removed the unit and a patrol car, and staff said the 5 p.m. mass might be canceled.
• At São José e Nossa Senhora das Dores, no police cars were present on Saturday morning, though church staff said the scheduled service would go ahead.
• Both parishes had shut on Thursday after an anonymous call demanded R$1,000 from a priest and threatened to close a church indefinitely if payment was refused.
• Police had reinforced patrols on Friday, stationed vehicles by the churches, and arranged a meeting with religious leaders, while the 20th Police Precinct investigates the threats.
• Merchants describe years of a monthly “security tax” paid in cash or via favors, and recent violence includes a Sept. 27 shooting near Rua Leopoldo that halted a mass.