Around 200 people were trapped at the top of a popular Rio de Janeiro tourist spot during a police operation in the Vidigal favela of the city, according to local media. The trail leading to the top of Morro Dois Irmãos, known for its stunning views over Ipanema Beach, begins east of the neighborhood.
Officers from the Public Prosecutor's Office of Bahia and Rio's Polícia Civil were on a mission to arrest alleged members of the Comando Vermelho gang hiding in Vidigal, as reported by broadcaster TV Globo. The main access route to the trail was cut off when a gunfight erupted between law enforcement and suspected gang members, leaving alarmed tourists stranded.
Video shared on social media shows the group of tourists sitting on the ground at sunrise, with a police helicopter overhead and gunfire audible in the distance. Portuguese tourist Matilda Oliveiro, who was waiting to see the sunrise with her sister Rita, recounted how guides instructed everyone to sit down as the gunshots started. We had waited for sunrise and, suddenly, the guides asked us to sit down and we started hearing gunshots, she told TV Globo. She reflected that despite the fear, the situation was managed well, noting the guides were in communication with the police and everything was under control.
After about 30 minutes, the stranded tourists were able to descend safely, according to local media. The guides had been informed about the police operation beforehand, and others confirmed to TV Globo they coordinated closely with police units present in Vidigal.
“Everyone went down in a single file, everyone helping, and we managed to finish the trail, see the sunrise, and experience that adrenaline rush,” Danielly Nobre, another tourist, shared with the press.
The Comando Vermelho gang, infamous for strict rule enforcement in their territories, has extended their influence beyond drug trafficking to monopolizing services like gas, cable television, internet, and transportation.
Officers from the Public Prosecutor's Office of Bahia and Rio's Polícia Civil were on a mission to arrest alleged members of the Comando Vermelho gang hiding in Vidigal, as reported by broadcaster TV Globo. The main access route to the trail was cut off when a gunfight erupted between law enforcement and suspected gang members, leaving alarmed tourists stranded.
Video shared on social media shows the group of tourists sitting on the ground at sunrise, with a police helicopter overhead and gunfire audible in the distance. Portuguese tourist Matilda Oliveiro, who was waiting to see the sunrise with her sister Rita, recounted how guides instructed everyone to sit down as the gunshots started. We had waited for sunrise and, suddenly, the guides asked us to sit down and we started hearing gunshots, she told TV Globo. She reflected that despite the fear, the situation was managed well, noting the guides were in communication with the police and everything was under control.
After about 30 minutes, the stranded tourists were able to descend safely, according to local media. The guides had been informed about the police operation beforehand, and others confirmed to TV Globo they coordinated closely with police units present in Vidigal.
“Everyone went down in a single file, everyone helping, and we managed to finish the trail, see the sunrise, and experience that adrenaline rush,” Danielly Nobre, another tourist, shared with the press.
The Comando Vermelho gang, infamous for strict rule enforcement in their territories, has extended their influence beyond drug trafficking to monopolizing services like gas, cable television, internet, and transportation.
