A massive police operation targeting drug trafficking operations in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, October 29, 2025, has left at least 132 people dead in what has become Brazil’s deadliest police raid in history, sparking international condemnation and accusations of mass executions in the city’s northern favelas.
The military-style raid involved approximately 2,500 police and military personnel who descended on the Complexo do Alemao and Penha neighborhoods, targeting members of the Red Command criminal gang. Among the dead were four police officers and at least 128 suspected gang members, though the exact death toll remains disputed between authorities and civil society organizations.
The operation, dubbed “Containment,” began early Tuesday morning with security forces arriving by helicopters and armored vehicles to combat what Rio state Gov. Claudio Castro described as narcoterrorism. Authorities said the raid followed a yearlong investigation into the Red Command, a criminal organization that originated in Rio’s prison system over 50 years ago and has expanded its control over drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and other illicit activities across the state.
Photographer Bruno Itan, who witnessed the aftermath at Getulio Vargas hospital and later entered the cordoned-off areas, described scenes of horror as residents recovered bodies from the hillside dividing Penha and Alemao. According to Itan, “The bodies kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45…” He reported seeing decapitated remains, disfigured corpses, and evidence of stab wounds among the dead.
By Tuesday night, residents had gathered dozens of bodies in a main square in Penha, laying them out in rows to demonstrate the scale of casualties. Videos verified by multiple news organizations showed the grim display, prompting widespread outrage and protests. Many residents accused police of executing suspects who had already surrendered.
Raquel Tomas told reporters that authorities had decapitated her 19-year-old son, hanging his head from a tree like a trophy. She insisted that police had executed him without giving him a chance to defend himself. Local activist Raull Santiago reported finding approximately 15 bodies before dawn Wednesday and observed that many victims had been shot in the back or head, while others showed evidence of being tied up before death.
During Wednesday morning protests at the state government headquarters, dozens of favela residents waved Brazilian flags stained with red paint and chanted “assassins.” Demonstrators called for Castro’s resignation and demanded justice for what they characterized as a massacre rather than a legitimate law enforcement operation.
Police officials defended the operation at a Wednesday news conference, with security chief Victor Santos acknowledging that the elevated lethality was expected though not desired. Felipe Curi, Rio state police secretary, claimed that residents had removed camouflage clothing, vests, and weapons from bodies to shift blame onto police. He presented footage allegedly showing someone cutting military attire from a corpse.
Castro maintained that all those killed were criminals engaged in armed resistance, asserting that clashes occurred primarily in wooded areas where civilians would be unlikely to travel. He characterized the four slain officers as heroes and insisted the operation was successful despite its deadly outcome. The governor also claimed suspects had used explosive-laden drones to attack police during the confrontation.
The operation yielded 113 arrests, seizure of 118 weapons, and confiscation of more than one ton of drugs, according to police statements. However, the massive casualties prompted swift responses from national and international authorities.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed horror at the death toll and surprise that such an operation proceeded without federal government knowledge, according to Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres conveyed concern through his spokesman, stressing that police use of force must adhere to international human rights law and calling for prompt investigation.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes summoned Castro to appear at a Monday hearing to provide detailed explanations of police actions. The Senate human rights commission requested clarifications, while Rio prosecutors demanded proof that no less harmful means of achieving operational objectives existed.
Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, issued a statement expressing sorrow for the suffering and emphasizing that human life is a sacred gift from God that must always be defended and preserved. He called for collective soul-searching and urged residents not to feed hatred or respond with indifference.
The raid has raised questions about its timing, coming just days before Rio hosts the C40 World Mayors Summit and Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony next week. Brazil will also welcome world leaders for the United Nations climate summit COP30 beginning November 10 in Belem. Police officials denied any connection between the operation and these upcoming international events.
The operation significantly exceeded previous deadly raids in Rio, including a May 2021 incident in Jacarezinho favela that killed 28 people and a March 2005 operation in the Baixada Fluminense region that left 29 dead. In 2024 alone, approximately 700 people died during police operations in Rio, averaging nearly two deaths daily.
