Rio: 89 bodies released by medical institute after massive favela raid
Of the 99 bodies identified among those killed in Operação Contenção (“Operation Containment”), 89 have been released by the Forensic Medical Institute (IML) for collection by family members. The institute is working to identify the 117 civilians killed in the crackdown, and the work may only be completed over the weekend. The raid also left four police officers dead.
The Civil Police reported it is finalizing an intelligence document “hundreds of pages long, which brings together the qualifications of the criminals killed and a detailed analysis of the strategic role of the Penha and Alemão favela complexes within the framework of the criminal organization.”
According to the Rio de Janeiro government, of the 99 people identified so far, 78 had criminal records, and 42 had outstanding arrest warrants. It is not yet possible to know whether these outstanding warrants had been issued during this operation or previously, the document states.
State prosecutors are also working on an independent investigation and assisting the families of those killed.
The forensic efforts involved a team of eight professionals, under the full supervision of a prosecutor.
The federal government also sent 20 criminal experts from the Federal Police to reinforce public security efforts in Rio, Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski reported.
Arrest warrants
The operation against the Comando Vermelho criminal organization aimed to execute 100 arrest warrants and managed to locate 20 of its targets. Another 15 were killed during the raid.
The crackdown is said to have aimed to contain the advance of Comando Vermelho, serving 180 search-and-seizure warrants and 100 arrest warrants.
The main target – Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as Doca – remains at large. He is considered the main leader of Comando Vermelho who is not in prison.
Human rights groups and nonprofits denounce the operation as “a massacre” and “a bloodbath” and criticize the high death toll of the raid.
Family members and residents of the Complexo da Penha favela removed dozens of bodies from a wooded area in the region in the early hours following the operation and report that there were also signs of torture and even mutilation on the corpses.
