An operation to capture Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão, who controls five communities in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, caused widespread panic on Wednesday (12/02). The operation turned Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha, two of the city’s most important expressways, into a war zone. Criminals set fire to vehicles, piles of tires, and barricades, using them as roadblocks to resist security forces. Additionally, they burned barricades on a footbridge and at the entrance of the Vigário Geral train station. Four people were injured during the confrontation, and a Military Police helicopter had to make an emergency landing at a Navy barracks in Penha after being hit by two gunshots. Despite the large-scale police effort, the wanted criminal managed to escape.
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Operation Details
On Wednesday (12/02), at around 1:30 PM, an emergency police operation was launched in the Complexo de Israel, in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, to capture Peixão, the city’s most wanted criminal, allegedly hiding in the Parada de Lucas favela. Two helicopters, one from the Civil Police and another from the Military Police were deployed to provide aerial surveillance for the ground teams. Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha were temporarily closed to protect civilians. Criminals responded with intense gunfire, hitting both helicopters and preventing security forces from advancing. Without air support, officers were forced to advance along Avenida Brasil, encountering barricades, booby traps, and heavily armed resistance from traffickers using rifles and grenades. The firefight between police and criminals resulted in prolonged violence, endangering both law enforcement and civilians in the region.
Burning Roadblocks and Hijacked Bus
Footage revealed multiple burning roadblocks in Cidade Alta, one of the targeted communities. At least two trucks and one car were seen on fire inside the favela. Criminals hijacked a bus, forcing it across the side lane of Avenida Brasil, near Guadalupe, in the direction of the West Zone. The tense atmosphere persisted until the early evening, as security forces struggled to regain control of the area.
Operation Justification
During a press conference, security authorities explained that the operation aimed to prevent Peixão’s gang, which controls five favelas forming the so-called “Israel Complex,” from invading the Quitungo community in Brás de Pina, an area controlled by the Red Command faction. Despite this official statement, officers involved in the operation revealed that the primary objective was to arrest Peixão, who has an extensive criminal record of 79 offenses and has been wanted since 2017.
Who is Peixão?
Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão, is a high-ranking drug trafficker and the founder of the “Complexo de Israel,” a sub faction linked to the Third Pure Command (TCP). In the communities under his control, Peixão has imposed biblical symbols and religious phrases, shaping the identity of the Israel Complex. His power initially covered Vigário Geral and Parada de Lucas, but he later expanded to Cidade Alta, Cinco Bocas, and Pica-Pau, areas where approximately 134,000 people lived. In 2023, he also took control of the Tinta and Dourados favelas in Cordovil. Outside Rio de Janeiro, he commands criminal activities in at least three areas of Baixada Fluminense: Parque Paulista and Massapê in Duque de Caxias and Buraco do Boi in Nova Iguaçu. Despite his growing influence, Peixão has never been arrested, and security forces continue their efforts to dismantle his criminal network.
Analysis:
The failed operation to capture Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as Peixão, underscores the immense challenges faced by security forces in Rio de Janeiro when confronting entrenched criminal organizations. The level of resistance displayed—burning barricades, roadblocks, and direct attacks on police helicopters—reveals the operational capacity of Peixão’s faction and its ability to disrupt urban mobility and public order on a large scale. The temporary shutdown of Avenida Brasil and Linha Vermelha, two of the city’s main expressways, illustrates how organized crime can paralyze Rio’s infrastructure, affecting thousands of commuters and businesses.
The justification provided—that Peixão’s gang was preparing to invade Quitungo, a Red Command stronghold—suggests that police action aimed more at containing an escalation of gang warfare than at dismantling the leadership of a criminal network. Such reactive measures highlight a broader issue in Rio’s public security policies: the lack of sustained, intelligence-driven efforts to weaken the financial and logistical structures that enable traffickers like Peixão to operate with impunity.
Sources: O Globo [1], [2], [3], [4]; Extra [1], [2], [3], [4].
