Power Agenda - The mega police operation in Complexo do Alemão and Penha, in the North Zone, this Tuesday (28), resulted in the arrest of Thiago Nascimento Mendes, Belão, identified as one of those responsible for the financial and armed coordination of Comando Vermelho. The announcement was made by Governor Cláudio Castro, who classified the action as a"state of defense" in the face of the advance of organized crime in the state.
• Marcus Vinicius, from the 53rd DP (Mesquita)
• Rodrigo, from the 39th DP (Pavuna)
The operation also resulted in 9 officers being shot and three innocent bystanders injured by stray bullets.
During the confrontation, criminals set fire to barricades and launched explosives from drones, forcing residents to take shelter in their homes. One scene stood out: drug traffickers fleeing in single file through the woods, just like during the 2010 occupation.
Arrest of the faction's financial operator
Among those arrested is Nicolas Fernandes Soares, identified as responsible for the financial transactions of the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) in the region.
Castro also announced the arrest of Belão, considered one of the logistical organizers of the faction, with direct involvement in the distribution of weapons and money laundering.
Criticism of the federal government
The governor also stated that the situation had gone beyond the limits of urban security:
"For a war, we should have much greater support, perhaps even from the Armed Forces, because it's a fight that has already gone beyond the entire idea of public security, everything that is in the Federal Constitution. It completely goes beyond that when you have this quantity of weapons coming from international trafficking," he stated.
Castro also stated that the state has already"exceeded" its powers: "It's very easy to criticize state forces, to criticize the governor, when the state is perhaps exceeding its powers. But we will never abandon the population. If we have to exceed, we will exceed even more to protect them."
According to the governor, Rio has been left without national support to deal with heavy weaponry arriving through federal borders.
"This time, the request wasn't made to the federal government because we've already received three refusals. So we understand that the policy is not to compromise. They could lend the armored vehicle, then they couldn't lend it anymore because the armored vehicle is a federal asset; every day we have a different reason for not cooperating."
