Rio’s Deadliest Police Operation Leaves 121 Dead as Federal Scrutiny and Joint Response Build

Overview

• State authorities report 121 dead, including four police officers, 113 arrests, and the seizure of 118 weapons and 14 explosive devices, while alleged CV leader “Doca” remains at large.
• Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski and Governor Cláudio Castro announced an emergency joint office to coordinate actions against organized crime, with 20 Federal Police forensic experts and 10–20 from the National Force sent to assist.
• STF minister Alexandre de Moraes demanded detailed explanations about the raid and is slated to meet state officials in Rio on Monday, as state prosecutors opened investigations.
• Rio’s Public Defender asked the STF to authorize parallel autopsies, citing breaches of ADPF das Favelas protocols and inadequate scene preservation, while the IML works to identify the victims.
• Residents moved dozens of bodies from forested areas to a public square, prompting criticism from security and rights groups over crime-scene handling, as police intelligence highlights CV orders for torture via messaging apps.