All Eyes On The Screen...And It's Not For Footie

Rio Watches

This afternoon the whole of Rio has been glued to the TV as the local news networks air real time footage showing hundreds of armed drug-gang members fleeing through an area of jungle known as 'inferno verde'  (green hell) from the favela (slum) of Vila Cruzeiro, which had been occupied by the police and military troops, to neighbouring favela, Complexo de Alemão. 

The footage was shot from TV helicopters with mega zoom lens cameras.  They can't fly too near, because the gangs probably have anti-aircraft weapons.  It's scary stuff, but to viewers at home (or on the street) it seemed like it would be a piece of cake for the police to take 'em all out, being that we could all see where they were.  Some were shot, but the truth on the ground,  according to the chief of police in a press conference tonight, is much more complicated than it looks from the safety of the couch

Bus Burning (image Globo  News)

The latest spate of violence started on Monday with what appeared to be coordinated attacks around the city, including some quite close to where we live.  Cars burning, buses burning, assaults on vehicles and shootings;  It is all a response to the on-going pacification strategy in Rio, which pushes drug gangs out of the communities and then places permanent pacification police units (UPP) within them. Once in place, the city invests in the infrastructure of the favela, improving access etc, and thus begins the process of reintegrating the area into the city.  Every pacified favela is essentially one less place for the bandidos to hide.  Up to now most of the pacified favelas have been relatively small areas in the Zona Sul...but as the program expands, the criminals are beginning to feel the pressure.

The chief of police explained tonight that rival factions are even having to unite forces in order to help each other in the 'war' against the joined forces of the civil, military and federal police.  He hopefully suggested that this was an essential 'suicide' for at least one of the factions, doubting that after years of violent rivalry they would be able to keep the peace between them.

It must be terrifying to be an inhabitant of Complexo de Alemao tonight.  On the TV we could see people, including children, waving white sheets and t-shirts out of their windows towards the cameras in a gesture of peace, as the terrorists marched passed their homes. 

The whole city is with them.  The general mood is one of determination to do something about this problem once and for all.  Brazil is having a real 'moment'; spirits are high and these criminal factions are not part of the shared dreams of the future.  An encouraging sign is the record number of anonymous denunciations that are being made on Rio's equivalent to the Crime Watch helpline...with more calls today than in the service's 15 year history. 

The city has it's eyes on the ball....let's just hope we don't drop it this time.