In a startling and unprecedented turn of events, criminal elements believed to be associated with feared paramilitary militias wreaked havoc in Rio de Janeiro, setting ablaze over 35 buses, four lorries, and even a train. These shocking incidents were seemingly carried out in retaliation for the recent killing of a prominent paramilitary leader, Matheus da Silva Rezende, by police special forces.
Governor Cláudio Castro, of Rio de Janeiro’s state, has vehemently condemned these attacks as “terrorist acts,” vowing a resolute response to organized crime. The magnitude of the violence was described by local media as one of the most extensive criminal assaults in Rio’s turbulent history.
The disturbances brought significant portions of Brazil’s iconic city to a standstill and compelled the closure of at least 45 schools, impacting thousands of students. The city’s City Hall implored citizens to steer clear of the affected areas, acknowledging the “high impact occurrence.”
Security specialist Cecília Olliveira described the situation as the “westside ablaze,” as videos shared on social media depicted passengers frantically fleeing a bus moments before criminals set it ablaze, shrouding the sky in thick plumes of black smoke.
These sinister attacks unfolded across nine different areas, including Cosmos, Campo Grande, Inhoaíba, Guaratiba, Madureira, Paciência, Santa Cruz, Sepetiba, and Recreio dos Bandeirantes, home to approximately one million residents.
Government officials and reports attribute the violence to the notorious “milícias” or militias – politically connected criminal organizations that have gained control over vast swaths of Rio in recent decades. Last year, Fogo Cruzado reported that these militias, originating as community self-defense groups led by off-duty police officers and prison guards, have extended their dominion over an area nearly the size of Birmingham in the UK, home to over 1.7 million people.
Governor Castro announced the arrest of 12 individuals linked to the attacks, with charges of “terrorist acts” pending. He affirmed his resolve to combat such criminal elements around the clock, declaring, “Evil will not prevail over Good,” while warning organized crime groups not to challenge the state.
Security experts have characterized these attacks as a bold affront to Rio’s authorities, exposing successive governments’ inability to curb organized crime. The outburst of violence occurred shortly after the fatal shooting of Matheus da Silva Rezende, 24, reportedly the nephew of Rio’s infamous criminal leader, Luis Antonio da Silva Braga, also known as “Zinho,” a paramilitary chief. Rezende was gunned down during a police operation in Três Pontes, a favela known to be a stronghold of these militias.
