Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called for an independent investigation after a police raid in Rio de Janeiro left at least 121 people dead, which he described as a "massacre." The operation targeted roughly 100 arrest warrants in the Complexo do Alemão and Complexo da Penha and killed four officers and many civilians. While Rio's governor hailed the raid as a blow to the Red Command, experts and activists warn mass violence will not resolve decades-long urban conflict, and Lula has requested federal forensic involvement.
Brazil Seeks Independent Probe After Rio Police Raid Kills 121 — Lula Calls It a "Massacre"
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called for an independent investigation after a police raid in Rio de Janeiro left at least 121 people dead, which he described as a "massacre." The operation targeted roughly 100 arrest warrants in the Complexo do Alemão and Complexo da Penha and killed four officers and many civilians. While Rio's governor hailed the raid as a blow to the Red Command, experts and activists warn mass violence will not resolve decades-long urban conflict, and Lula has requested federal forensic involvement.
23:10, 04.11.2025Security
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has asked for an independent investigation into a police operation in Rio de Janeiro that left at least 121 people dead, calling the events a "massacre" and urging federal forensic involvement.
What happened
Police launched a large-scale raid early on Tuesday to execute roughly 100 arrest warrants across two of Rio’s largest favela complexes, the Complexo do Alemão and the Complexo da Penha. Authorities say the operation killed four officers and at least 117 civilians, bringing the confirmed death toll to 121.
Shocking scenes and allegations
The assault — described by media as the deadliest police action in Brazil’s history — provoked international shock after reports that mutilated bodies were left at the entrance to one working-class neighbourhood. Among the victims were teenagers; reports say a 14-year-old was killed and a 19-year-old was reportedly decapitated and his head displayed on a tree. Police also reported that one officer had a leg amputated after being shot.
President Lula's response
"There was a massacre, and I think it's important to verify the conditions under which it occurred," Lula told foreign journalists in Belém, where he was attending the opening of the COP30 climate summit. He said judge-authorised arrest warrants did not justify mass killings and called for federal police forensic teams to be involved in an independent inquiry.
Political and public reactions
Rio’s rightwing governor, Cláudio Castro, praised the raid as a heavy blow to the Red Command, a powerful criminal faction that originated in Rio. Polls indicate broad public approval in some segments of society, even as human rights groups, security experts and activists condemned the scale of the lethal force.
Experts' warnings and context
Security specialists argue the killings are unlikely to resolve Brazil’s long-running urban violence or weaken organised crime sustainably. "If killing people fixed the problem, Brazil would be Switzerland," said Cecília Olliveira of Fogo Cruzado, a group that tracks armed violence. Analysts note the death toll surpasses the 1992 Carandiru prison massacre in São Paulo, when 111 inmates were killed.
Wider implications
The incident has overshadowed the start of Brazil’s COP30 climate summit and coincided with a high-profile visit to Rio by Prince William. The episode has intensified debate over policing tactics, judicial oversight and strategies to confront entrenched criminal networks that operate in neglected urban areas.
Next steps: The federal government’s call for an independent probe and forensic participation aims to ensure external scrutiny of the operation and clarify whether the use of force complied with legal authorisations and human-rights standards.