It’s official and was widely circulated by the Brazilian media, the police of Rio de Janeiro killed 503 alleged bandits in the first half of this year. The main newspapers were outraged, NGOs that defend human rights are revolted and the middle class was terrified. But these reactions will change anything? The answer remains no.

First, the government of the state of Rio defended its police saying that this is a “new tactic” to combat violence, to face the criminals wherever they are, slums or beaches. It is fire against fire and the situation does not seem that will improve.

Second, part of the residents of these regions do not bother with this method of truculent fight against crime. Last week a lieutenant commander of the Army idealized and the delivery three young men to a gang, resulting in the disappearance of these three (probably the bodies were carbonized, something that is common happening here). As if that were not enough, later, he said that, along with 11 other soldiers, did so because the boys “disrespected” the Army and did not regret to have done what he did. It is unknown whether the three were bandits or not. Meanwhile, many journalists and intellectuals say that the main responsibility for the Army is in some slums of Rio is Senator Marcelo Crivella, a politician linked to the evangelical Christian who is, according to Datafolha, leading the polls for mayor in Rio.

The impression that somebody can be is that the most part of the population is not outraged by what has happened and want to elected the responsible for the fact as mayor. Impression, because the reality is much more complex than that, because Rio, above all, is a divided city that slowly saw the bankruptcy of the state occur in the last thirty years. And when something like this happens, something or someone appears to try to replace the State (dealer, pastors, militia, or anything else). And the city is undergoing changes, new powers have emerged.

If 80’s and 90’s, the “Red Command” (organised crime group formed by cocaine and crack dealers in the early 70) was untouchable, now is no longer. Organized crime Rio is suffering casualties. The militias called “Blue Command” have already taken 80 slums. The “Red Command” seems to be dismantling since the Rio’s police and the Army decided to intervene in the slums. Only time will tell if the Red Command are reorganizing or not. In addition, the evangelicals are becoming the majority in the slums of Rio and the leaders of these religious groups know very well how to handle their believers and their votes.

Finally, the situation is more confused than ever and has passed the time for the Federal Government intervene, but not with weapons and soldiers, but with financial aid for new investments in areas like Education and Health at the peripheries, because without those investments , the violence will worsen.