In the early hours of Monday (19/08), the CV carried out an attack in Vila Isabel, targeting rivals that were in a square with dozens of people watching a pagode concert. Five people died and three were injured. The victims were at a party in Praça Barão de Drummond, an area near Morro dos Macacos when four men on two motorcycles opened fire. One of the dead was Pedro Henrique Barbosa da Conceição, 18 years old, according to the police. He, who was known as Marreco, was the target of the attack.
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CV Invasion
The CV’s attempts to invade the area, controlled by Pure Third Command, have been going on since last year. Morro dos Macacos is a target of interest for both factions due to its strategic location, with an escape route through the Tijuca Forest, which connects directly to the city’s West Zone.
Split in the Gang
A split in the gang controlling Morro dos Macacos is behind the clashes in Vila Isabel, North Zone of Rio, in the past four months. In March, members of TCP faction, unhappy with the fact that they were not allowed to carry out robberies, stole weapons and fled to Morro de São João, controlled by CV. The seven bandits were promised that if they helped take over Morro dos Macacos, they would receive the reward of managing the local drug trafficking. According to the police, ten attacks have been recorded since then.
Analysis:
The recent escalation of violence in Rio de Janeiro’s criminal landscape is driven by a combination of internal strife within factions and strategic territorial battles. The Red Command’s (CV) ongoing attempts to invade Morro dos Macacos, controlled by Pure Third Command (TCP), illustrate the high stakes involved, as this location offers a critical escape route through the Tijuca Forest to the West Zone. The rift within the TCP, particularly the defection of members has further fueled the conflict. These former TCP members, now aligned with CV, have intensified the rivalry by engaging in a series of armed confrontations in Vila Isabel, resulting in multiple casualties.
