Brazil’s Deadliest Police Operation Leaves 132 Dead Ahead of Global Climate Events in Rio

Rio de Janeiro, October 29, 2025 — At least 132 people were killed in what officials have described as the deadliest police operation in Brazil’s history, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The death toll, reported by Rio’s public defender’s office, is more than double the figure released a day earlier by state authorities, who had cited 64 deaths, including four police officers.

The large-scale raids, carried out in Rio’s Penha neighborhood, were aimed at dismantling the powerful Comando Vermelho gang, which dominates the drug trade in several of the city’s favelas. The operation, however, sparked widespread shock after residents lined the streets with dozens of bodies collected overnight from a nearby forested area.

Local witnesses said families searching for missing relatives had recovered many of the corpses themselves. Over 70 bodies were reportedly laid out in the middle of the street, covered with sheets and plastic bags.

“I just want to take my son out of here and bury him,” said Taua Brito, the mother of one of the victims, as mourners gathered around the rows of bodies.

Rio Governor Claudio Castro defended the operation, claiming the dead were all gang members. “I am certain those killed were criminals. I don’t think anyone would be walking in the forest on the day of the conflict,” he said, calling the slain police officers “the only real victims.”

The timing of the deadly raid has drawn global attention, coming just a week before Rio is set to host major climate-related events tied to the United Nations’ COP30 summit — including the C40 Mayors Summit on climate action and the Earthshot Prize ceremony, to be attended by Britain’s Prince William.

Rio has previously hosted several high-profile international gatherings, such as the 2016 Olympics, the 2024 G20 summit, and the BRICS summit in July, none of which saw violence of this magnitude.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, returning from a trip to Malaysia, has not yet publicly commented on the operation. His office confirmed that he met with Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and senior ministers on Wednesday to review the situation. Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski stated that the federal government had not received any request for assistance from state authorities.

The raid has sparked outrage among human rights organizations and civil society groups. The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned the excessive use of force, warning that the operation reflects a growing pattern of deadly policing in Brazil’s marginalized communities.

“We remind authorities of their obligations under international human rights law, and urge prompt and effective investigations,” the UN statement said.