The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, extended the period of operation of the National Force in Rio de Janeiro and the Legal Amazon. According to the document, the agents will remain in the state of Rio de Janeiro at least until 30 April. The National Force will continue to support federal and state public security bodies, operating in essential activities and services to maintain public order and protect people and property.
In the Legal Amazon, agents remain on site to support the actions of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) until September 27th.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
Where is the National Force?
The National Force has been working in public security in Rio de Janeiro since 16 October. The operation is authorized by the Ministry of Justice in the state. In November, it had already cost the public coffers more than R$10 million.
In total, 300 men and women from nine states were transferred to Rio de Janeiro to work on the highways that cross the state, under the leadership of the Federal Highway Police, to prevent the entry of weapons and drugs.
7 Trucks Searched in 1 Month
According to the management of the National Force, agents working in Rio de Janeiro carried out more than 10,000 approaches to vehicles and pedestrians in the first month of work. However, only 7 trucks were stopped and searched during this period.
For more than a month, agents did not seize weapons or drugs during the operation in the state. Only two arrests were made, and one minor was apprehended for attempted robbery.
Robbed Agents
National Force agents entered by mistake and had their weapons stolen in Complexo do Chapadão, in Guadalupe, in the North Zone of Rio. The weapons were recovered by PMs from the 41st BPM (Irajá), but the situation shed light on the actions of police officers who did not know well the particularities of crime in Rio.
They were in a nondescript vehicle and, following directions from a navigation app, entered Rua Fernando Lobo when they were approached by drug dealers.
Analysis:
The extension of the National Force’s period of operation in Rio de Janeiro and the Legal Amazon, announced by the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, highlights the federal government’s continued commitment to security in these regions. In Rio de Janeiro, the National Force will continue to collaborate with the Federal Highway Police until 30 April.
However, the effectiveness of the National Force’s operation in Rio de Janeiro has been questioned in the face of some incidents. Despite efforts to carry out raids and searches, the results in terms of seizure of weapons and drugs were below expectations. Furthermore, an embarrassing episode involving two National Force agents occurred when they were robbed after mistakenly entering the Chapadão Complex, highlighting the need for teams to become better familiar with the particularities of Rio’s criminal scenario.
