Rio Unveils New Year’s Eve Operation: 29,000 Personnel, Drones, Facial Recognition

Overview

• The integrated state plan mobilizes more than 28,700 agents with continuous monitoring, including over 23,000 military police in 3,224 vehicles and about 300 units equipped for facial recognition and license-plate reading, plus focused tracking of roughly 9,900 people via electronic ankle bracelets.
• In Copacabana, the operation fields 3,500 police, 182 vehicles, 17 search checkpoints, observation towers, drones with real-time feeds and an aeromobile aircraft, with firefighters adding 170 personnel on the beach and statewide support of about 1,500 members using 13 drones, 250 boats and three aircraft.
• Copacabana’s program features Gilberto Gil with Ney Matogrosso, Alcione with Belo and João Gomes with Iza, capped by a 12‑minute fireworks display and a 1,200‑drone show.
• Niterói’s Praia de Icaraí is expected to draw about 400,000 people for shows by Nando Reis, Viradouro and Ludmilla, supported by 477 military police and 413 municipal agents using drones and quadricycles, traffic closures from 6 p.m., glass restrictions at checkpoints, medical posts and a post‑event cleaning force.
• MetrôRio will run a special operation from 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 5 a.m. on Jan. 1 with boarding only via a non‑refundable R$15 Réveillon pass that assigns a fixed time slot and QR code for entry and issues a return wristband.