Deadly Rio Raid Killed 121 — Residents Say Comando Vermelho's Grip Remains Unshaken

New details emerging after Brazil's deadliest police operation are raising serious questions about whether the 28 October raid achieved its stated aim of striking the leadership of the Comando Vermelho (CV), one of the country's most powerful criminal gangs.

What happened

On 28 October, Rio de Janeiro state deployed roughly 2,500 officers in a large-scale operation in the Alemão and Penha neighbourhoods. Officials say 121 people — including four police officers — were killed and police published a photograph showing more than 100 rifles seized during the operation.

Claims and contradictions

Governor Claudio Castro described the operation as "a success," but human rights organisations sharply criticised the security forces for the high death toll and what they called brutal tactics. Rio's public safety secretary, Victor dos Santos, told Reuters the raid aimed to execute scores of arrest warrants issued by prosecutors. However, BBC Brasil cross-checked the police list of the dead against the 68 names on the prosecutors' suspects list and reported that none of the deceased matched those names.

"By that metric, it is fair to say the operation failed," said Carlos Schmidt-Padilla, a public policy professor at the University of California, Berkeley, to BBC Brasil.

Local media also noted that Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as "Doca" and widely regarded as a top CV leader, was not among those arrested. At a Senate hearing, a deputy intelligence secretary for Rio's military police described the raid's impact on dismantling Comando Vermelho as "negligible."

Residents report little change

Residents of Alemão and Penha told the BBC the mega-operation did little to loosen the CV's control. Many described seeing armed men back in the neighbourhoods the next day while bodies were still being removed, and said everyday life had barely changed.

How CV controls neighbourhoods

Comando Vermelho and similar groups exercise rigid control over the communities they dominate. Beyond drug trafficking, they often monopolise the supply of gas, cable television, internet and local transport. Residents report higher prices for essentials such as gas cylinders and restrictions on ride-hailing services; cars for apps are often banned and locals rely on motorbike taxis and vans authorised by the gangs.

The gang polices behaviour and appearance — for example, in 2020 Penha residents were reportedly told not to wear Chelsea football shirts because the number on the jersey was associated with a rival faction. Punishments for perceived transgressions can be extreme: reports and police files include allegations of beatings, torture and executions for those judged to have broken gang rules.

Information leaks and evidence

Although gangs try to control information, the ubiquity of mobile phones makes leaks common. Police investigation files seen by the BBC include disturbing images and evidence of violent punishments. In Rocinha in 2020, CV members threatened to kill those who leaked a video showing a CV leader surrounded by rifles and machine guns.

Aftermath and political response

The Public Prosecutor's Office filed a complaint citing growing violence and territorial expansion by Comando Vermelho, which helped trigger the large-scale operation. Rights groups have labelled the operation a "massacre" and questioned its effectiveness. Governor Claudio Castro has defended the raid and announced further operations; a poll by AtlasIntel reported his approval rating rose to 47% after the operation, higher than that of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the same survey. President Lula has ordered a federal investigation into the raid.

Implications: The operation highlighted a stark tension: a highly lethal security response that produced significant casualties and seized weapons, yet—according to cross-checks, local testimony and some officials—failed to capture top suspects or materially reduce gang control in affected favelas. The episode is likely to intensify calls for an independent investigation and renewed debate over policing strategies in Rio's most violent communities.