Brazil's fiscal crunch will worsen Rio crime crisis

Subject

Deteriorating crime levels in Rio de Janeiro.

Significance

The government of Rio de Janeiro state, facing a financial crunch, has been accused of undermining the iconic police pacification programme tasked with fighting organised crime in its slums. This represents a blow to a security strategy credited with significantly reducing homicides before Rio's financial troubles began compromising the police presence in the slums from 2014 onwards. The latest budget cut comes precisely as a war between Rio's most powerful gangs intensifies.

Impacts

• Recent reductions in funding and other resources will leave police unprepared to tackle the gang war in Rocinha.
• Criminal violence will damage Rio's attractiveness for tourists and business, further complicating the recent decline in oil revenues.
• The decline in the pacification strategy may undercut its importance as a promising model to be applied in other violent cities.