U.S. Condolences Amid Controversial Rio Raid

The United States extended condolences to Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state following the death of four police officers in a major raid against the Comando Vermelho gang, a letter obtained by Reuters revealed. The operation left over 100 people dead and has drawn sharp criticism and calls for investigation from Brazilian and international officials.

While the operation was lauded as a success by Rio's conservative Governor Claudio Castro, who claimed the only significant losses were the police casualties, Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva described the raid as 'disastrous.' Meanwhile, conservatives in Congress push for Comando Vermelho to be recognized as a terrorist group, a designation Brazil previously declined.

The U.S. Consulate reiterated condolences and promised continued collaboration on public safety with Brazilian authorities. Despite Brazil's assurance of data sharing with U.S. institutions, it emphasized that such cooperation does not equate to permitting U.S. operations on Brazilian soil.