Brazilian Gangs Getting Too Big, Need to Be Tackled Now, Observers Say

‘The impact on the United States I would categorize as indirect, but it is significant,’ former Homeland Security investigator said.

Residents surround the bodies of people killed the day before during a police raid targeting the Comando Vermelho gang in the Complexo da Penha favela of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 29, 2025. Silvia Izquierdo/AP Photo

Police in Rio de Janeiro recently carried out an operation in Alemao and Penha, two neighborhoods, or favelas, reportedly controlled by a huge gang called Comando Vermelho (CV).

The raids triggered gunbattles with the heavily armed gang, which led to the deaths of 121 people, including at least four police officers.