More than 200 visitors were briefly stranded on Morro Dois Irmõos in Rio after a gunfight erupted between police and suspected Comando Vermelho members near the Vidigal favela. Tourists stayed on the hilltop for about two hours before police signalled it was safe to descend. Authorities reported three arrests and no injuries. Tour operators warned the episode could harm tourism despite Rio’s record 2.1 million international visitors in 2025.
Gunfight Traps Over 200 Tourists at Rio's Iconic Two Brothers Hill — 3 Arrests, No Injuries
The Morro Dois Irmaos offers views of Rio de Janeiro's famous beaches (Handout)(Handout/Na Favela Turismo/AFP)
More than 200 tourists were briefly stranded Monday atop Morro Dois Irmõos (Two Brothers Hill) in Rio de Janeiro after a gunfight broke out between police and suspected members of the Comando Vermelho gang in the nearby Vidigal favela, authorities and a tour operator said.
Visitors remained on the summit, which rises 533 meters (1,750 feet) above the city and overlooks Ipanema and Leblon beaches, for roughly two hours while exchanges of gunfire occurred on a lower slope. The viewpoint is one of Rio's best-known attractions and draws thousands of visitors each week.
"There were more than 200 people taking the tour this morning. Seventy percent were foreign tourists," Renan Monteiro of the tour operator Favela Turismo told AFP. Monteiro warned that publicity around such incidents could damage the city's tourism industry.
Police said officers were met with gunfire when they entered the Vidigal area. After authorities gave the all-clear, the tourists descended from the hill. The operation resulted in three arrests and, according to officials, no injuries were reported.
The incident comes as Rio celebrates a record year for inbound travel: the city recorded more than 2.1 million international visitors in 2025.
Context
Comando Vermelho is one of Brazil's largest criminal organizations and has been involved in repeated clashes with security forces in Rio's favelas. Tour operators and local officials say such confrontations, even when contained without injuries, can undermine tourism confidence.
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