Brazil: At Least 132 Dead in Rio Police Operation

At least 132 people have been killed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following a police operation against a drug trafficking gang. The operation, which targeted the Comando Vermelho gang, mobilized 2,500 police officers.

Residents of Penha collected the bodies of missing relatives from a forest area, with more than 70 bodies lying in the street. The governor of Rio, Claudio Castro, stated that the dead were criminals, as most of the shootings took place in a wooded area.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed shock at the number of deaths, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern and called for an investigation. The operation took place a few days before international events in Rio, including the C40 Mayors Summit on climate change.

Residents denounced executions, with reports of shots to the neck and back, as well as signs of burns.