At least 60 dead in Rio de Janeiro police operation ahead of climate summit events

At least 60 people, including four police officers, were killed on Tuesday (October 28) during a large-scale operation targeting organised crime in Rio de Janeiro, according to a state government source. Authorities said the remaining fatalities were suspects linked to drug trafficking groups.

The Rio state government described the operation as the largest ever conducted against the Comando Vermelho gang, one of Brazil’s most powerful criminal organisations. Officials said 56 people were arrested and more than 30 rifles were seized, along with a large quantity of narcotics still being catalogued.

“So far, we have arrested 56 criminals. Eighteen have been neutralised, 31 rifles seized, and a large quantity of drugs confiscated,” said Rio Governor Claudio Castro, speaking as police units continued operations in the city’s northern districts.

Castro added that the scale of the operation surpassed even the major raids of 2010, noting the state had received no federal assistance this time. “It’s a larger operation than in 2010. Unfortunately, we don’t have support from armoured vehicles or federal security and defence forces. We are alone in this fight today and carrying out the largest operation in history,” he said.

The violence disrupted daily life across parts of Rio. Around 50 schools and healthcare facilities were forced to suspend services, and public transport was diverted to avoid active combat zones.

The operation comes just days before Rio hosts the C40 summit of global mayors and Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, which will feature international guests including pop star Kylie Minogue and four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel. The events are part of the lead-up to COP30, the UN climate summit set for November 10–21 in Belém, northern Brazil.

Large-scale police crackdowns have historically coincided with major global events hosted in Rio — from the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics to the 2024 G20 and BRICS summits earlier this year.

Governor Castro expressed condolences to the families of the slain officers. “The deaths have also affected our police force. We have cases of officers who have sadly been killed and others receiving treatment,” he said.

Authorities said the operation would continue over the coming days as security forces seek to dismantle remaining gang networks operating in the state.

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