Amazon Violence: Deadly Clashes Erupt Between Brazilian Police And Criminal Gangs, 11 Dead

At least 11 people have died during a week of intense clashes between Brazilian police and the notorious criminal organization Comando Vermelho (Red Command) in the Amazon region, according to a government report.

The violence erupted after a military police officer was killed on Sunday in Porto Velho, the capital of the northwestern state of Rondonia, known for its high homicide rates. In response, authorities launched an operation targeting Comando Vermelho, a group that has extended its influence from Rio de Janeiro to other parts of Brazil and beyond.

A report from Rondonia’s state security secretariat, published Thursday, said that four people died in shootouts with police and 14 were arrested. In addition, seven civilians were killed in retaliatory attacks by Comando Vermelho.

Local media reported that over 20 buses and other vehicles had been set on fire throughout the state during the unrest.

Comando Vermelho, heavily involved in extortion, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities, has significant influence in the Amazon region. Earlier this month, a high-ranking member of the group was killed in a police operation in Porto Velho, further escalating tensions.

A recent study from the Brazilian Forum on Public Security shows that in Rondonia, part of the Brazilian Amazon, the murder rate is 41% above the national average. The NGO brought to the forefront that there is criminal activity within a third of the Amazonian municipalities. There, the notorious Comando Vermelho gangs hold control over half of these areas.

Other than Comando Vermelho, another major Brazilian crime network active in the region is the First Capital Command, while smaller gangs compete for influence in more than 80 municipalities. According to the FBSP, organized crime in the Amazon region is connected to drug trafficking, but it is also involved in deforestation and other crimes against the environment.