Brazil: Shootouts in Urca (Rio de Janeiro) leave seven dead June 8-9 /update 5

Event

At least seven bodies were recovered from Red Beach, near Sugarloaf Mountain, in Rio de Janeiro's Urca neighborhood after shootouts took place in the area between suspected drug gangsters and police on Friday, June 8, and Saturday, June 9. The violence reportedly halted cable car services on Sugarloaf Mountain for two hours. Additional acts of drug-gang violence are possible in the Urca neighborhood in the near-term.

Context

Though shootouts are common in Rio de Janeiro, the abovementioned incident was the first to recently take place in Urca. Police say that gangs involved in the shootouts have been vying for control over the adjacent Babilônia favela.

Crime rates in Rio de Janeiro state have reached an all-time high as of 2018, according to data released by the Instituto de Segurança Pública (ISP) in April. Rio de Janeiro has been suffering from rising violence since 2016. This phenomenon is largely attributed to fighting between heavily armed security forces and criminal gangs in Rio's favelas.

Advice

Due to high crime rates in Rio de Janeiro - and throughout Brazil more generally - individuals should remain vigilant at all times, avoid all favelas, report any suspicious behavior to relevant authorities, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities. Conceal conspicuous signs of wealth to avoid attracting the attention of would-be thieves.