247 – In an editorial published this Thursday, following the mega police operation in the Alemão and Penha complexes in Rio de Janeiro, the newspaper O Globo defended the action of the Military and Civil Police, which resulted in 121 deaths, including four police officers and four civilians. The text classified the offensive as necessary in the face of the “unusual resistance” of the drug traffickers and highlighted the “enormous risk” assumed by the agents when entering what it called the “headquarters of the Comando Vermelho”.

The newspaper considered the number of victims"revealing," but argued that the operation "was the result of planning to try to protect the residents," maintaining that the most intense confrontations occurred "in the woods, where the criminals were cornered."

Defense of police forces

O Globo gave voice to the Secretary of Civil Police, Felipe Curi, who described the scenario as"one of war." According to the editorial, this statement should not be dismissed, as the police are facing"an irregular, asymmetrical war, a matter of national defense and sovereignty."

The newspaper also argued that there should be no truce in the fight against organized crime, reinforcing that the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Federal Court in the ADPF of the Favelas had"paralyzed the work of the police" and praised the Court's recent decision that reduced these limitations.

Criticism of the Supreme Federal Court

The text classified Minister Alexandre de Moraes' request for more information about the operation as an"exaggeration," arguing that "it is up to the states to develop their security policies." Citing jurist Gustavo Binenbojm, the editorial stated that the Supreme Court"does not have the institutional capacity to deal with the technical and multifactorial problems" of public security, and should limit itself to"supervision and monitoring" of the police.

Finally, the newspaper criticized the lack of integration between state and federal forces, lamenting the"exchange of accusations between Rio and Brasília" and advocating for the creation of a "joint office" to expand cooperation. The text concludes that"the president, ministers, governor, and judiciary must send an unequivocal message of unity and joint action capable of eradicating the scourge of organized crime from Brazil."