On Thurs., at least 18 people died as tactical teams of Rio de Janeiro's state police raided a complex of favelas - or slums - known as Complexo do Alemão to tackle a group allegedly involved in cargo theft and bank robberies.
Two of the deceased included a bystander and a police officer, while the remainder are still unidentified.
Though not directly linked to operations carried out by state police, Pres. Bolsonaro has influenced them by defending legal immunities for police officers and promoting security policies based on increased violence. As a result, there has been a surge in police massacres in impoverished areas in Brazil.
Despite being heavily criticized by the left, Bolsonaro's security policies have proved to be able to curb violence. It's no coincidence that after empowering police officers and granting them the right to self-defense, the homicide rate in Rio de Janeiro has fallen to an all-time low.