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Rio Police Raid Deaths Disputed as Protests Mount and Court Summons Governor

Brazil's top court has ordered a hearing with Governor Cláudio Castro over the operation.

Men carry the bodies of people killed the day before during a police raid targeting the Comando Vermelho gang in the Complexo da Penha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
People protest days after a deadly police operation targeting a drug trafficking gang at the Complexo da Penha favela in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
An official displays seized weapons with gang insignia during a press conference, which the police said were captured during what was the deadliest police operation in Brazil's history, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Tita Barros
A priest blesses the bodies of people killed the day before during a police raid targeting the Comando Vermelho gang in the Complexo da Penha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Overview

  • State authorities report 121 dead, including four police officers, while the public defender's office gives a higher count of 132.
  • Civil police say 99 bodies have been identified so far, with 42 listed as having arrest warrants and 78 with prior criminal records.
  • Residents and journalists reported signs consistent with torture or summary executions, and U.N. experts urged prompt, independent investigations.
  • Hundreds to thousands marched in Vila Cruzeiro calling for Governor Cláudio Castro’s resignation, as the Supreme Court scheduled a Nov. 3 hearing with state security chiefs.
  • The governor defends the raids as a success against “narco-terrorism,” the federal government dispatched ministers and proposes tougher sentences for gang members, and an AtlasIntel poll found 55% national approval for the operation.