The police operation that resulted in the death of — at least — 138 people in the favelas of Alemão and Penha, in Rio de Janeiro, was widely reported by the Italian press this Thursday, the 30th.
The two main newspapers in the country, Corriere della Sera [read here] e La Repubblica [read hereThey published reports on the case, emphasizing images of bodies scattered in the streets and accounts of violence.
The coverage was also shown on major Italian news programs, which highlighted the death toll, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's reaction, and the international repercussions of the incident.
O Corriere della Sera The newspaper reported that the bodies were “lined up in the square, some under yellow and white sheets stained with blood, most semi-nude.” The newspaper also reported that many of the dead had “criminal life at a very young age".
According to the CourierGovernor Cláudio Castro stated that the operation was "a success." The newspaper reproduces President Lula's statement, in which he said he was "horrified" by the high number of victims and "surprised that an operation of this magnitude was carried out without the federal government or himself being informed." The Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, confirmed that the presidency had no prior knowledge of the operation.
O La Repubblica The report also highlighted the operation, stating that it was "the most violent police operation in Brazil in recent years." It mentions that at least 74 bodies were found by residents in forested areas and remained exposed for about seven hours before being removed.
The newspaper also notes that the operation took place just days before the opening of COP30, the UN climate summit to be held in Brazil, and reports that President Lula stated he was "shaken" by what happened.
Both newspapers mention that the operation targeted Comando Vermelho, a criminal group with a strong presence in both communities, and that the main suspect, Edgar “Doca” Andrade, remains at large.
