An explosion of joy on the streets of Rio greeted the announcement that the city would be hosting the 2016 Olympic Games. Two weeks later, Rio saw an explosion of violence when a police helicopter was shot down by drug traffickers. The government’s reaction has been to intensify the crackdown on the citys slums – or Favelas. A Human Rights Watch report in December accused Rio and Sao Paolo police of killing over 11,000 people since 2003. Many, the report claims, were executed by the police, shot at point blank range. Many were innocent. And on many occasions, the police tried to cover up the evidence. This week, Fault Lines travels to Rio to look at the crackdown in Rio’s Favelas, and what it means for the people of the city.
