Operation Containment

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Operation Containment
Part of the armed conflict for control of the favelas
Policiais civis da Delegacia de Roubos e Furtos de Cargas durante a Operacao Contencao.png
Police officers during the operation.
Date28 October 2025
Location
Alemão and Penha favelas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Belligerents

Bandeira do estado do Rio de Janeiro.svg Rio de Janeiro

Comando Vermelho
Commanders and leaders
Cláudio Castro Edgard Alves de Andrade
Strength
2,500 police officers
32 armored vehicles		 Hundreds of suspects
Casualties and losses
4 police officers killed (2 BOPE and 2 Civil) [1]
13 police officers injured (9 Military and 4 Civil), 2 of whom are in serious condition		Per police:
117 killed [2]
133 arrested [3]
Per public defender:
128 killed [1]
Several wounded

Operation Containment (Portuguese : Operação Contenção) was a large-scale law-enforcement operation launched on 28 October 2025 by the Rio de Janeiro state government against the Comando Vermelho (CV) criminal organization. Approximately 2,500 police agents participated and executed hundreds of police warrants to arrest gang leaders in 26 communities in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, mainly in the Penha and Alemão neighborhoods. [4] [5]

Contents

Launched just before dawn, [6] intense confrontations occurred all day. Gangs set barricades ablaze and used drone-dropped bombs on special forces teams. [7] The operation seized 93 rifles, [7] killed 121 people, [2] and resulted in 133 arrests, according to police. [3] State governor Cláudio Castro stated the casualties were criminals [8] and called the operation "a success"; [9] local residents as well as national and international civil society groups criticized the lethality of police conduct and questioned official claims that all the dead were criminals. [6] [10]

The operation was the deadliest police action in the state's history in a favela, [1] [11] surpassing the 2021 Jacarezinho shootout that killed 28 people, [12] and was also, overall, the deadliest in Brazilian history, exceeding the Carandiru massacre, where 111 inmates were killed in a prison riot in 1992. [13]

Background

According to the think tank InSight Crime, Comando Vermelho (CV) is the oldest criminal organization currently active in the country. It traces its origin to Falange Vermelha, a criminal organization created by eight inmates of Fundão, the LSN Gallery (Lei de Segurança Nacional), in the 1970s during the Brazilian military dictatorship, when political prisoners were incarcerated together with common prisoners at the Instituto Penal Cândido Mendes on Ilha Grande, influencing them with urban guerrilla tactics. [14] [15] The faction expanded over the following decades and consolidated networks in different Brazilian states. [16] The Complexo do Alemão and Penha complexes became strategic areas for the CV for circulation, logistics, and revenue collection, with a history of leadership presence and heavy weaponry. [17]

In 2024–2025, reports and coverage indicated intensified trafficking and greater professionalization of crews, including interstate and international routes, increasing pressure for large-scale actions against the CV. [18] State authorities pointed to the presence of fugitives and CV operatives in the target areas, as well as the arrival of members from other regions of the country, reinforcing the view of “sanctuaries” for the faction in Rio. [19]

Rio de Janeiro State police have often conducted large-scale operations against criminal organizations—mainly in favelas —ahead of major events in the city, such as the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2024 G20 and 2025 BRICS summits. On the eve of events linked to the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (such as C40 and the Earthshot Prize), public security moved to the center of state and federal agendas, with signals of reinforced operations and inter-agency coordination. [20] [21] This operation occurred one week before the city hosted the summit events. [20]

Operation

The operation, which had been planned two months earlier, [8] was launched in the early morning to execute around 100 arrest warrants, with 250 more warrants decreed during the operation. [4] The teams that arrived at the locations in the morning faced strong resistance from drug traffickers, who quickly erected barriers and barricades, some on fire, in various areas of the two complexes. In retaliation, the criminals also used drones and bombs against the police. [22]

The operation involved two helicopters, 12 demolition vehicles from the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State's Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), 32 armored vehicles belonging to the National Public Security Force, and several ambulances; additionally, the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State mobilized all its specialized police units. [23]

Authorities jailed 133 people, including 33 criminals from other states, [3] and seized roughly one ton of drugs [24] and 93 rifles, including weapons from the armies of Venezuela, Argentina, Peru and Brazil itself. [7] [25] Police claim 121 people died, [2] but the public defender reported 132 dead, [26] including four police officers (two BOPE agents and two civil police); [27] [28] an unreported number of people were wounded. [4] The following morning, locals found at least 70 bodies in a bush area near Favela da Penha, [29] as well as a 19-year-old's decapitated head. [24]

Edgard Alves de Andrade, known as "Doca", who is the main leader of Comando Vermelho, managed to escape Operation Containment. According to Victor Santos, Rio de Janeiro's Secretary of Public Security, the leader used drug trafficking "soldiers" to create a barrier and escape the operation. [30] Among the arrested were Thiago do Nascimento Mendes, one of the leaders of Comando Vermelho in the region, and Nicolas Fernandes Soares, identified as Doca's financial operator. [31]

Aftermath

A CORE armored car next to a vehicle set ablaze during the operation Operacao Contencao com veiculo blindado do CORE e ao fundo uma barricada com veiculo em chamas.png
A CORE armored car next to a vehicle set ablaze during the operation

In revenge, the gangs blocked several roads including the Avenida Brasil, Yellow and Red Lines using 71 stolen buses, which forced people to walk home. [32] Healthcare, education and transportation were disrupted. [4] Neighboring municipalities São Gonçalo and Niterói were also affected by the blockades. [33]

Trains, subways, light rail, and ferries continued to operate normally. There were occasional queues at access points due to the high number of passengers attempting to board simultaneously on their early return home. [34]

The Military Police also reported shootings by criminals from Morro do Dezoito, in Água Santa, who fired shots at the Yellow Line. [34]

The city's Education Department closed 46 schools across the Penha and Alemão neighborhoods, and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (located in Cidade Universitária) canceled night classes, advising people on campus to seek shelter. [35]

The day after the operation, information provided to the anonymous tip line led to the capture of three suspects who had fled the operation and hidden in the Campinho neighborhood: Luiz Carlos Mourão de Matos, Celso Luiz Gitahy Ferreira, and Rodrigo dos Santos Lourenço. Weapons, ammunition, and drugs were found in the house where they were arrested. [36]

Reactions

Domestic

Cláudio Castro, governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, declared the city "at war" and called the operation the largest ever targeting the Comando Vermelho gang. [37] He stated that Brazil "stands firm confronting narcoterrorism". [4]

Eduardo Paes, mayor of Rio de Janeiro, stated the city "could not be held hostage by criminal groups". [38]

The state's civil police declared that the "cowardly attacks" by criminals against its officers would not go unpunished. [35]

Ricardo Lewandowski, minister of justice and public security, said the federal government had not received any request for support from state authorities prior to the operation. [35] After the operation, to help dismantle the gang's ongoing command structure, the federal government authorized the transfer of at least ten Comando Vermelho leaders to federal prisons in other states. [39]

Gleisi Hoffmann, secretary of institutional affairs and a member of the Chamber of Deputies, agreed on the need for coordinated actions, but cited a recent federal crackdown on money laundering as an example of the federal government's efforts against organized crime. [35]

The rapporteur for the proposed amendment to the Constitution known as "PEC for Public Security", Deputy Mendonça Filho from Democrats (PE), said that he will bring forward the presentation of his report to November of same year. [40]

On 29 October, after a meeting with minister of his cabinet, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned organized crime, emphasizing that a coordinated effort targeting the core of the trafficking network without putting innocent police officers, children, and families at risk is needed and defended the amendment, cited as a guarantee to improve the public safety. [41]

President of the Federal Senate Davi Alcolumbre from the Brazil Union (AP) released a statement in which he affirms that he has ordered the installation of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on Organized Crime which will begin on 4 November of same year. [42]

On 29 October, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, must send information about the operation carried out in the state capital within the scope of the Argument of Non-Compliance with Fundamental Precept (APDF) of the Favelas. [43]

On 29 October, protests were held in front of the Guanabara Palace, the seat of the state government. [24] Two days after the operation, relatives of the deceased protested on Francisco Bicalho Avenue, in front of the local morgue where the bodies were located, because they had not received any information about their relatives. [44] Congressman Reimont (PT-RJ) was negotiating with the participants for the peaceful release of the road, but before this could be done, the military police broke up the protest, using pepper spray to clear the road, which is one of the access routes to the city center. [45]

On 31 October, three days after the police action, a demonstration with residents dressed in white on motorcycles rode through the streets of the Penha neighborhood. The demonstration included activists and politicians such as city councilwoman Mônica Benício, widow of Marielle Franco, and congressmen Glauber Braga and Tarcísio Motta, all from PSOL. [46] Nineteen demonstrations were called for the same day in various cities across the country. [47]

According to an AtlasIntel poll conducted the following day, 87.6% of residents of the favelas (the Brazilian term for slums) in the city of Rio de Janeiro supported the operation. [48] Meanwhile, human rights activists and international organizations, like the United Nations, condemned the violence by the state and demanded an investigation of the situation. [49]

International

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Número de mortes em megaoperação no Rio passa de 130, diz defensoria" [Death toll in major operation in Rio surpasses 130, says public defender's office.]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025. mortes de 128 civis e quatro policiais, num total de 132 vítimas... Operação mais letal da história
  2. 1 2 3 "Polícia atualiza para 121 o número de mortos em megaoperação no Rio". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Bandidos de outros estados reforçam o CV e dificultam identificação de mortos no Rio". InfoMoney (in Brazilian Portuguese). Agência O. Globo. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "At least 64 killed in Rio police raids ahead of climate conferences". Reuters. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Governo do Rio deflagra operação com 2,5 mil agentes nos complexos do Alemão e da Penha". Portal O São Gonçalo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Police Raid in Rio de Janeiro Leaves Over 130 Dead". The New York Times . 29 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "At least 60 reported killed in Rio's worst day of violence amid police favela raids". The Guardian . 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  8. 1 2 Buschschlüter, Vanessa (28 October 2025). "At least 132 killed in Rio police raid, officials say". BBC. Archived from the original on 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  9. ↑ ""Operação no Rio de Janeiro foi um sucesso", diz Cláudio Castro" ["The operation in Rio de Janeiro was a success," says Cláudio Castro.]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  10. ↑ Pessoa, -Gabriela Sá; Pessoa, Associated Press Gabriela Sá; Press, Associated (30 October 2025). "Death toll from Rio de Janeiro police raid on drug gang rises to 121". PBS News. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "At least 132 people dead as Rio police raids sweep through city". 29 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Operação policial é a mais letal da história do RJ: veja ranking". O Tempo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  13. ↑ Tomaz, Kleber (29 October 2025). "Total de mortos após megaoperação no Rio supera o Massacre do Carandiru". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Zegarra, Gonzalo; Saltman, Max; Padinger, German (29 October 2025). "Largest ever police raid in Rio de Janeiro leaves at least 132 dead, public defender's office says". CNN. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  15. ↑ Equipe do site (16 July 2024). "Quem foram os fundadores do Comando Vermelho, facção que protagoniza guerra por territórios no Rio". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Comando Vermelho: como surgiu e se espalhou". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Por que o Complexo do Alemão é importante ao crime". VEJA (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Death toll rises to 119 in Rio de Janeiro drug cartel bust". Financial Times. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  19. ↑ "Dos 99 mortos identificados no Rio, 78 tinham antecedentes criminais". Exame (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  20. 1 2 "At least 20 dead in Rio de Janeiro police operation ahead of climate summit events". Reuters. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "COP30 events will be safe, Brazil official says after Rio violence". Reuters. 29 October 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Operação no Alemão e na Penha contra o CV tem mais de 60 mortos". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
  23. ↑ "Drones com bomba, fuzis, helicópteros e blindados: o arsenal da guerra entre a polícia e o CV no Rio". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 "Brazil police raid leaves at least 119 dead, triggering protests and claims of executions and a decapitation – CBS News". CBS News . Agence France-Presse. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  25. ↑ Soares, Lucas (30 October 2025). "Arsenal de fuzis apreendido na Penha e no Alemão incluía armas de exércitos de Venezuela, Argentina, Peru e Brasil". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  26. ↑ "What we do and don't know about Rio's deadly police raid". France 24. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  27. ↑ "Saiba quem são os 4 policiais que morreram na operação mais letal da história do RJ". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  28. ↑ Zegarra, Gonzalo; Saltman, Max; Padinger, German (28 October 2025). "Largest ever police raid in Rio de Janeiro leaves at least 132 dead, public defender's office says". CNN. Archived from the original on 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  29. ↑ "Número de mortes em megaoperação no Rio passa de 130, diz defensoria" [Local residents recover approximately 70 bodies in wooded area in Rio; death toll reaches 119.]. Noticias.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  30. ↑ Castro, Carol (30 October 2025). "Doca, o número 2 do CV que driblou a maior e mais letal operação policial da história do Brasil". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  31. ↑ "O que se sabe e o que falta esclarecer sobre a megaoperação nos complexos do Alemão e Penha, no Rio" [What is known and what remains to be clarified about the mega-operation in the Alemão and Penha complexes in Rio]. O Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  32. ↑ "O que está acontecendo no Rio de Janeiro: veja perguntas e respostas sobre a situação da cidade em dia de megaoperação". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  33. ↑ "Criminosos bloqueiam vias em São Gonçalo e Niterói em represália a megaoperação no Complexo do Alemão". O São Gonçalo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  34. 1 2 "Situação do Rio de Janeiro agora: saiba como está metrô, BRT e trem". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 "Huge Brazilian raid on Rio gang leaves at least 64 people dead and 81 under arrest". AP News. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  36. ↑ "Com informações do Disque Denúncia, polícia prende em Campinho três homens que fugiram da megaoperação no Alemão e Penha" [Based on information from the anonymous tip line, police in Campinho arrested three men who had fled the major operation in Alemão and Penha]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  37. ↑ "Operação no Rio é a maior em 15 anos e a mais letal no estado". Agência Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  38. ↑ "'Rio não pode ficar refém de grupos criminosos', diz Paes sobre operação" ["Rio cannot remain hostage to criminal groups," says Paes regarding the operation.]. CNN Brasil. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  39. ↑ "Cúpula do Comando Vermelho é transferida para cadeia de segurança máxima no Rio antes ser levada a presídio federal" [The leadership of Comando Vermelho (Red Command) is transferred to a maximum-security prison in Rio before being taken to a federal prison.]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  40. ↑ Barbiéri, Luiz Felipe; Rodrigues, Paloma (28 October 2025). "Após operação da PM com dezenas de mortos no RJ, relator diz que vai antecipar parecer de PEC da Segurança". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  41. ↑ @LulaOficial (29 October 2025). "Me reuni hoje pela manhã com ministros do meu governo e determinei ao ministro da Justiça e ao diretor-geral da Polícia Federal que fossem ao Rio para encontro com o governador.

    Não podemos aceitar que o crime organizado continue destruindo famílias, oprimindo moradores e espalhando drogas e violência pelas cidades. Precisamos de um trabalho coordenado que atinja a espinha dorsal do tráfico sem colocar policiais, crianças e famílias inocentes em risco.

    Foi exatamente o que fizemos em agosto na maior operação contra o crime organizado da história do país, que chegou ao coração financeiro de uma grande quadrilha envolvida em venda de drogas, adulteração de combustível e lavagem de dinheiro.

    Com a aprovação da PEC da Segurança, que encaminhamos ao Congresso Nacional, vamos garantir que as diferentes forças policiais atuem de maneira conjunta no enfrentamento às facções criminosas"     (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  42. ↑ "Alcolumbre determina instalação de CPI do Crime Organizado após megaoperação no Rio". G1 (in Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  43. ↑ Falcão, Márcio; Gomes, Pedro Henrique; Lucena, Karla (29 October 2025). "ADPF das Favelas: Moraes determina que Cláudio Castro explique megaoperação no Rio". G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  44. ↑ "Parentes de mortos em megaoperação protestam em frente ao IML e fecham via" [Relatives of those killed in a major operation protest in front of the morgue and block the road]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  45. ↑ "Mais uma covardia contra a população que não consegue sequer enterrar seu filhos. Estamos acompanhando para garantir que cada família tenha seus direitos respeitados" ["Yet another cowardly act against a population that can't even bury their children. We are monitoring the situation to ensure that every family has their rights respected."]. Instagram (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  46. ↑ "Penha tem manifestação contra mortes em megaoperação no RJ" [Penha hosts protest against deaths in mega-operation in Rio de Janeiro]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  47. ↑ "Atos em todo país contestam megaoperação no Alemão e na Penha" [Protests across the country are challenging the mega-operation in Alemão and Penha]. O Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  48. ↑ "Pesquisa: 8 em cada 10 moradores de favelas no Rio aprovam megaoperação". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 October 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  49. ↑ "Organizações de defesa dos direitos humanos e outras instituições repudiam mortes em megaoperação no Rio e cobram apuração" [Human rights organizations and other institutions condemn the deaths in the mega-operation in Rio and demand an investigation]. O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 October 2025. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  50. ↑ "Argentina declara CV e PCC como organizações narcoterroristas; fronteiras estão em alerta máximo". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  51. ↑ Resende, Marcio (1 November 2025). "Argentina prende três brasileiros suspeitos de integrar o Comando Vermelho". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  52. ↑ "Presidente da Colômbia reage à megaoperação no Rio: 'Barbárie'". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 October 2025. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  53. ↑ Belchior, Luisa (30 October 2025). "Fuga do Comando Vermelho: após Argentina, Paraguai reforça fronteiras com Brasil por megaoperação no Rio". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  54. ↑ "ONU "horrorizada" com megaoperação que matou pelo menos 64 pessoas no Rio de Janeiro". SAPO (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  55. ↑ "Governo dos EUA emite alerta de segurança para viajantes após operação no Rio com 64 mortos". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
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