Rio’s Deadliest Police Operation Sparks Political Showdown as Death Toll Disputed

Overview

• Officials reported 119 deaths on Wednesday, including four police officers, while the Public Defender’s Office cited 132 fatalities and said residents recovered dozens of bodies from wooded areas.
• Federal prosecutors and the federal public defender demanded a detailed account of objectives, use of force and compliance with the Supreme Court’s ADPF das Favelas safeguards, including body‑cam use, forensic protocols and medical support.
• Governor Cláudio Castro called the raid a success, asserted that only the four fallen officers were victims, requested immediate transfers of ten alleged leaders to federal prisons and rejected claims of civilian casualties.
• The operation, targeting Comando Vermelho figures after a long investigation, featured reports of traffickers using drones to drop explosives, heavy barricades and large weapons seizures, with widespread transport and school disruptions now beginning to ease.
• Right‑leaning governors formed a security coordination effort backing tougher measures and terrorist classification for factions, while pro‑government lawmakers labeled the raid a continuing massacre and moved to send a congressional rights delegation to the sites.