Rio de Janeiro authorities launched a massive police raid against the Comando Vermelho criminal faction. The operation, named Operation Containment, resulted in widespread gun battles and a high death toll.

A day after the deadliest police operation in Brazil's history, the country is still piecing together details about the raids against a powerful drug gang in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.

Church leaders, including the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani Tempesta, and the heads of the Bishops’ Conference, expressed their solidarity to the impacted communities and reaffirmed that “life and human dignity are sacred gifts from God.”

Brazil's most lethal police raid against drug gangs resulted in at least 121 deaths, sparking criticism and calls for investigation. The operation targeted the Comando Vermelho gang following extensive planning.

According to the Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor’s Office, the complexes are strategic for drug and weapons trafficking and house part of the Comando Vermelho’s expansion project. The group has 67 indicted members, including leaders Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as Doca, and Pedro Paulo Guedes, known as Pedro Bala.

At least 64 people were killed and more than 80 arrested in a massive police operation targeting the Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, criminal organization in Rio de Janeiro, Governor Claudio Castro announced on Tuesday.

A massive Rio police raid targeting the Red Command gang has become the deadliest operation in Brazil’s history — 132 dead and families lining up bodies in the street demanding justice. The violence erupts just ahead of global COP30 climate events in the city.

After Brazil’s Supreme Court expanded federal oversight of police operations, a record raid left 64 dead and renewed calls for a constitutional amendment on public security.