Police deployed to Rio shantytown

Brazilian authorities have deployed some 180 police officers into one of Rio de Janeiro’s shantytown complexes, aimed at restoring security ahead of hosting major sports events.

Rio police said on Monday that the assigned officers are to stay for 30 days in the Mangueirinha complex located in the northern part of the city to prepare the way for a permanent presence in the area.

“It is a permanent occupation, which we are establishing in communities of lesser importance,” said Rio state governor Sergio Cabral.

This comes as the Brazilian government is trying to retake control of some of Rio’s most crime-stricken areas before hosting next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Mangueirinha complex is located in the Baixada Fluminense district and is one of the centers of organized crimes and drug dealing in Rio.

Police first arrived to the district last year after nine local youths were kidnapped and murdered by drug gangs.

Despite having deployed 33 police units to various Rio districts since 2008, reports show that drug trafficking continues as well as gangs occasionally attacking police stations.

There have also been reports of alleged police abuse, including the disappearance of Amarildo de Souza on July 14 after being taken into custody for questioning.

On August 1, protests were held in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, in which participants demanded information about the whereabouts of Souza as well as calls for Cabral and Sao Paulo’s Governor Geraldo Alckmin to resign over alleged corruption.

Cabral has seen his popularity rate fall to just 12 percent following the June protests for better public services and an end to corruption and also to high taxes.

In addition, the protesters opposed to the spending of more than USD 26 billion of public funds on next year’s FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.