SAO PAULO: A police operation in Brazil targeting drug trafficking gangs on the southeastern coast has resulted in at least 13 deaths, according to authorities on Tuesday. The operation was launched in response to the killing of a 30-year-old police special forces officer in the port city of Guaruja.
The crackdown, named “Operation Shield,” began on Friday and has sparked controversy and calls for an independent investigation. The state police force’s internal ombudsman’s office is currently looking into additional deaths that may have occurred during the operation, and local newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported that the total number of deaths could reach 19.
TV channel Globo News reported that there have been accusations of police brutality and torture of suspects during the operation. However, Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, an ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro, denied any rights violations by officers and stated that all deaths occurred in clashes with police.
Brazil Police Crackdown Against Drug Trafficking Gangs
The operation is targeting the entire region of Baixada Santista, which includes Guaruja and several other port cities. Authorities reported that 32 suspects have been arrested so far, including the alleged killer of the police officer, and weapons and drugs have been seized during the operation.
While Governor Freitas justified the police response, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s justice minister, Flavio Dino, criticized the operation for what he deemed as a disproportionate use of force.
Rights groups, including the Arns Commission and Amnesty International, have called for an immediate investigation into the deaths and have criticized the use of police violence in the operation.
Clashes between police and drug gangs are common in Brazil, where allegations of abuses by security forces have led to politically charged debates over law enforcement practices.
