Violence believed to affect health of Rio slum residents

Researchers at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), human rights advocates, health care professionals, and favela residents gathered this week to discuss issues related to the federal intervention in Rio de Janeiro’s public security and how violence can make an impact on people’s lives.

During the meeting, which was not attended by any representative from the Federal Intervention Cabinet or the Public Security Secretariat, a list was compiled with some of the measures to be put to practice during the intervention. Among them are meetings with community health agents to discuss the routine during the intervention, anti-racism campaigns, and initiatives to spread the word about channels to report rights violation.

Fiocruz is expected to monitor and conduct research on the nearby favela communities of Manguinhos and Maré. Hermano Albuquerque de Castro, debate moderator and director at the Fiocruz National Public Health School (ENSP), links escalating violence to the increase in the number of cases of certain diseases. Circumstances also make it difficult for local health care professionals to work. There is news of violence and death on a daily basis, he said.

“This is also a debate on public health care, which has been severely affected. Health care agents find themselves unable to work in these territories. People are left unassisted and penalized. Many don’t leave their homes. A number of factors and variables can contribute to heart attacks, high blood pressure, and diabetes, to name a few. And I’m not even talking about people killed in the crossfire,” he said.

De Castro also argued that the intervention has thus far shown no innovation in its efforts to fight crime. “No clear idea can be seen yet. Nor has a plan for the intervention been disclosed. And it should be made public so we know exactly how it’s supposed to operate. What we have seen a month into the intervention is the same model of operations we witnessed years ago.”

The release of an intervention plan has been a demand made by several agencies, like the Prosecution Service and the Public Defender’s Office, and also by congress members. Last Monday (Mar. 19), lawmakers met with General Walter Braga Netto, spearheading the intervention, who is reported to have pledged the plan would be publicized this week. 

Legalization of marijuana

In the opinion of André Barros, vice-president of the Human Rights Commission of the Brazilian Bar Association in Rio de Janeiro, public security issues should be addressed with a different approach in the state. He argued for the legalization of marijuana as a way to undermine organized crime and reduce violence. Drugs are sold across the city, but repression efforts are concentrated in the favelas.

“Drug trafficking in itself is not a serious offense. What’s more serious—killing someone, raping, or selling a product regarded as illegal? As conduct, the most serious crime under the law is killing someone. In real life, however, this has mattered little to the state. Only 11% of murders in Rio de Janeiro are solved,” he said. Barros also maintains that fighting gun trafficking should receive more attention from the government.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira