Armed Clash in Rio de Janeiro Leaves Three Injured and Chaos on the Roads
A Military Police helicopter providing aerial support to the operation was struck by a bullet in its fuselage, forcing an emergency landing at a nearby Navy base. Feb 12, 2025 Photo: EFE
February 12, 2025 Hour: 4:51 pm
Among those affected, two bus passengers were hit by stray bullets and had to be taken to a hospital. The situation became even more critical when the criminals also blocked the urban train lines, forcing commuters to abandon their vehicles and seek shelter behind nearby walls and structures.
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This Wednesday, a violent confrontation between police forces and drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro resulted in at least three people injured and widespread chaos on the city’s main thoroughfares.
The shootout broke out during an operation by the Civil and Militarized Police in the Cidade Alta favela, aimed at capturing Álvaro Malaquías Santa Rosa, known as “Peixao,” the leader of a powerful criminal organization that controls drug trafficking in the Complexo de Israel.
The operation, which began in the afternoon, quickly escalated when the drug traffickers responded with gunfire, setting up barricades on several access roads, including Avenida Brasil and the Linha Vermelha. These actions led to the temporary closure of these major expressways, leaving hundreds of citizens trapped in the crossfire.
Among those affected, two bus passengers were hit by stray bullets and had to be taken to a hospital. The situation became even more critical when the criminals also blocked the urban train lines, forcing commuters to abandon their vehicles and seek shelter behind nearby walls and structures.
A Military Police helicopter providing aerial support to the operation was struck by a bullet in its fuselage, forcing an emergency landing at a nearby Navy base. This incident highlights the dangerous environment in which law enforcement operates in Rio’s favelas, where drug trafficking has created a constant climate of violence.
The regional Public Security Secretariat reported that the operation was carried out based on intelligence information that located Peixao in a residence within the Complexo de Israel, one of the city’s most conflict-ridden areas.
However, the armed resistance from the drug traffickers underscores the challenges faced by police in their fight against organized crime.
Autor: MLM
Fuente: EFE
