Rio governor says police raid on favela was “a success”
Rio de Janeiro’s State Governor Cláudio Castro said Wednesday (Oct. 29) that Operation Contenção (“Containment”) was a success and that the only victims of the clashes were the police officers who were killed.
“We are confident in standing by what was done yesterday. I would like to express my solidarity with the families of the four warriors who gave their lives to free the population. They were the real victims. The only victims yesterday were the police officers,” said Castro in an interview at Guanabara Palace, the seat of the state executive.
“What evidence leads us to believe that they were all criminals? The conflict did not take place in a built-up area. It was all in the woods. I don’t think anyone was walking in the woods on a day of conflict. That’s why we can safely classify them as criminals,” the governor went on to state.
Death toll
Governor Cláudio Castro also said that the official death toll from the Civil and Military Police operation in the favelas on Tuesday (28) is 58, including the two civil police officers and two military police officers. He did not explain the reason for the change in the official count, but said that the official figure will “definitely” change.
Yesterday, the government counted 64 people dead, including the four officers. The governor also declined to comment on the approximately 60 bodies removed from the wooded area by residents of the Complexo da Penha favela after the deadliest operation in the state’s history.
The governor pointed out that the state of Rio is the epicenter of the public safety problem that “plagues Brazil.”
“Yesterday, we dealt a heavy blow to crime and showed that we are capable of winning battles. But we are humble enough to recognize that we cannot win this war alone. Now is the time for unity, not politicking.”
