Rio de Janeiro gang war erupts between Comando Vermelho and local militia

In August 1987 a six‑day police offensive in the Dona Marta favela of Rio de Janeiro ended a brutal clash between rival drug dealers, resulting in 22 arrests and the eventual takeover of the area by the Comando Vermelho (CV) criminal organization.

A new wave of violence has erupted in the Rio das Pedras community in the city's southwest, reaching its tenth day with intense firefights, grenade attacks launched from drones, and the discovery of a clandestine burial pit. Police have carried out multiple operations, arresting militia leaders Luick Ferreira Cabral Pequeno and Rodrigo Marques Carbone, seizing rifles, pistols, ammunition and equipment used to forge firearms licenses. The fighting pits CV against a local anarcomilícia, endangering residents and prompting a heavy security response.

Both episodes illustrate the long‑standing and recurring struggle for control of drug markets in Rio's favelas, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by organized crime and armed militias in the city.