Arsons in Brazil: Gang members set fire to dozens of buses in Rio de Janeiro

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After the arsons, the police arrested twelve suspects. Public transport was suspended in parts of Rio and city hall warned residents and tourists of possible “serious consequences”.

Before the arsons, the nephew of militia leader “Zinho” was killed during a police operation in the west of the Brazilian metropolis, according to the state’s governor, Claudio Castro. Castro described the death of Zinho’s right-hand man, known for his brutality, as a serious blow to the militia.

A reign of terror in the favelas

Police operations against heavily armed criminal gangs are common in Rio. It is often the residents of the slums who suffer. According to a study, paramilitary militias now control more than half of the city and have established a true reign of terror in the favelas. Their members are often former police officers.

The militias were originally founded as neighborhood watches to protect the residents of Rio de Janeiro from drug gangs. However, the militias themselves soon developed into mafia-like gangs, controlling numerous sectors such as gas distribution, local internet services, transport and construction. They are now involved in fierce wars with the drug gangs.

(AFP)

Source: Blick