Rio de Janeiro, such a beautiful place, beautiful surroundings, people, nice food and an unique hospitality towards everyone. Who would imagine that such a paradise like this in fact would suffer from one of the worst plagues to ever rule the modern world: a reign of organized and powerful criminal organizations. You've probably heard something about Rocinha and it's pax brasiliana being absolutely destroyed after an unrelenting wave of violence erupted because the "owner" of Brazil's largest favela was betrayed by his sidekick and took control of it after he was arrested, taking the horror of a ruthless rule to its citizens.
Just look at this vista. Seriously, ain't it a gorgeous place?
Crime always existed in Brazil. This is a fact, but we can say that it really got organized after the end of the Military Government that existed from 1964 to 1985. The first and currently the largest organization in brazilian soil is the Comando Vermelho - Red Command in a free translation - founded in 1979 inside one of the highest security correctional facilities in Brazil with the aid from other criminals, terrorists from FARC - Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionárias de Colombia, Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces - and the former left-wing guerrilla group Falange Vermelha - english for Red Phalanx - as the Military's influence and presence were in a steady decline, and the government was struggling to keep itself in one piece, suffering pressure from both the congress and from an ever growing people's movement for direct presidential elections.
Comando Vermelho's leaders were Rogério Lemgruber, the head of the organization and founder of Falange Vermelha, killed in 1992; Orlando da Conceição "Orlando Jogador", killed alongside his brother in an ambush by a rival faction; Luiz Fernando da Costa "Fernandinho Beira-mar" - in custody; Fabiano "FB" Atanázio da Silva - in custody ; Paulo "Mica" Roberto de Sousa Paz - in custody and Luciano "Pezão" Martiniano da Silva - currently at large, bounty placed on his head.
Rogério Lemgruber, the man that started it all
Although there was a growth in violence it was still in control, since there was a greater presence from the Military and from police organizations. It was in the last years of the 80's that crime skyrocketed and wouldn't drop since then, because other factions started to pop out and, as a consequence, a never ending power dispute took place. Rocinha is the latest display of that. The former boss, Antônio "Nem da Rocinha" Francisco Bonfim Lopes, disliked the way his substitute, Rogério "Rogério 157" Avelino da Silva, dealt with the population and ordered him to withdraw from the command of the favela, which was promptly refused. Nem then ordered an invasion by mobilizing a large armed force from near communities to take him down at any costs but failed at first. Since then a battle ensues, with daily firefights that would make the place look like somewhere straight out of Syria.
A very disturbing display on how crime rates seems to be out of control
Tourists that come to Rio are often presented the good parts of Rio. Sometimes are alienated from the real deal and that's better for them. Really. Because if they'd have the slightest clue of what it feels like to live in a war zone, they'd never come back here, or even step here in first place. What good is a population that is extremely friendly, heartwarmingly welcoming if one can get shot by simply showing up by the window? It seems exaggerated, I know, but we're currently living in a state of paranoia where we have the feeling that a firefight may break out at any moment and anywhere or we could get mugged, dragged into a corner and shot like an animal.
I love my country and my hometown. Believe me, but the negligence of the authorities, that were supposed to at least attempt to do something apart from crying for military presence makes me think about leaving Rio and maybe Brazil. It's complicated, since violence is not our only problem, but it's the most immediate one, since corruption wouldn't directly kill you - althought its consequences definitely could. People are growing unsatisfied because of this as animosities rise. It's like we're inside a pressure cooker without a fail safe valve. It feels like it's gonna explode at any moment. We're afraid, we're mad, but what can we do? There are several Rocinhas in Rio going on right now.
When the authorities are incompetent and clueless, this becomes a more common view day after day
My goal is not to discourage people from coming here. We're a mostly touristic city, so you people are important, since without you break down worse than what we already are. But in fact we are mostly embarrassed that we can't guarantee our own security, let alone yours. It's important for you to understand what's going on in here. Basically there's a crime spree and the government is absolutely dizzy about this. And people are dying because of this. Which country would brandish numbers like ours? 100 plus policemen killed since the beginning of the year and counting, other hundreds of civilians, people like you and me, shot to death in a war that absolutely doesn't belong to us! Fear brings extreme solutions, so don't be surprised if something really really bad happens in the following months...or days.
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