A Gulf of Chaos: Inside Brazil's Deadly Police Raids

In a stark reminder of Brazil's ongoing battle against organized crime, the deadliest police operation in the country's history resulted in at least 121 fatalities this week in Rio de Janeiro. The raids were aimed at dismantling the Comando Vermelho, Brazil's infamous criminal organization known for controlling the drug trade in multiple cities.

This violent crackdown unfolds just days ahead of the United Nations COP30 climate summit set for northern Brazil, with Rio de Janeiro playing host to the C40 global gathering of mayors and the Earthshot Prize awards led by Prince William. The Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, remains at the center of Brazil's narcotic underworld despite fierce competition from the First Capital Command (PCC), the nation's largest crime syndicate.

Originating in the 1970s from alliances formed inside a maximum-security prison, the Comando Vermelho expanded from prison corridors to the streets of Rio. Today, it maintains influence over vast areas of the city's periphery and has turned its sights beyond Rio, seeking new drug and arms trafficking routes in other Brazilian states.