Members of the special police unit Bope during a raid on a favela in Rio de Janeiro
Drug Gangs Strike Back In Rio’s ‘Pacified’ Slums -- Financial Times
The staff at Ricardo Eletro were pulling down the shutters on their electronics store after a frantic day serving pre-Christmas shoppers when the gunmen appeared.
Thiago Marinho, manager of the store, which is on the main road of Rocinha, one of Rio de Janeiro’s most notorious favelas, or slums, stood by helplessly as the five bandits stole money, mobile phones and other electrical goods.
This kind of attack was not meant to happen any more. Paramilitary police invaded Rocinha in November, driving out the armed drug traffickers who had controlled the area for decades. “They weren’t even wearing hoods,” says Mr Marinho of his assailants. “Rocinha is huge. There just aren’t enough police now to look after the place. Two other little shops were robbed, too.”
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My Comment: Will these slums be pacified before the World Cup and Olympics .... probably not .... but it will be swept under the rug.