1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: Causone Media. You're listening to the Away Days podcast on 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: the ground outside reporting from the underbelly with me Jake Hanrahan. 3 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: To watch Awaydays documentaries, go to YouTube dot com slash 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: at away Days TV. This is part two for Velo Government, 5 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: Episode four. This podcast is a production of H eleven 6 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: Studio and. 7 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 2: Call his Own Media. 8 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: After speaking with Flows, the aspiring Rapper, we go for 9 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: a walk around this area in the favela. As we do, 10 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: a small storm breaks out. Rain showers from the clouds 11 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: above and drenches everything. The lush jungle and the harsh 12 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: concrete of the favela turn the darkest shade with the rain. 13 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: We head up to the hills and cross a bridge 14 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: over what is an open sewer duct. Human waste and 15 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: filth stream down the open cement, down the hill and 16 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: to God knows where. 17 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: So this is the other side of the favela. 18 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 3: Basically, everything here, even down to the sewage, is all makeshift. 19 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 3: The government doesn't have any presence here, so basic things 20 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: are just not getting taken care of. Everything that does 21 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: happen is either down to the gang or down to 22 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 3: the community. And I guess the question is is that 23 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 3: because the gangs are here, or is it because the 24 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:39,639 Speaker 3: government isn't here? 25 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 2: Who knows. 26 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: Unlike the state, CV does provide for the favelas, but 27 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: it also rules them through lead and gold, violence and cash. 28 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: Perhaps then the favela government is not so different from 29 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: the actual government. After all, Brazil has one of the 30 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: more corrupt political systems in the world. Leadership talks up 31 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: reforms and anti corruption, but it's mostly meaningless. The police, 32 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: the military, the justice system, even the health sector have 33 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: all had recent scandals. Trust in Brazil is at an 34 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: all time low. The number of Brazilians living in the 35 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: favelas is growing, and the police units of the government 36 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: sent in to pacify them have brought extortion and massacre. 37 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: The favela is truly stuck between a rock and a 38 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: hard place. CEV continues to thrive under ground, controlling their 39 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: turf and expanding their criminal enterprise from the favelas to 40 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: the world. Since we left the favela a year ago, 41 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: at least two of the people we met there were 42 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: killed before our documentary was even published. One of the 43 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: cell leaders we met, you'll remember his name as Fat Second. 44 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: He was shot dead by police in a shootout in 45 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: the Favela one morning last summer. Another lad we met, 46 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: who didn't speak to us on the record but let 47 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: us take photos, was also killed. Information is sparse on him, 48 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: but from what I've been told, he was killed by 49 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: a rival gang. He was just a teenager and a 50 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: few months after we left, I spoke with Diogo from 51 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: the loo to lever Jim. That morning there was a 52 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:31,399 Speaker 1: heavy police incursion into Phalatvocateo. I could hear the constant 53 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 1: sound of near distant gunfire in the background as he 54 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: told me about the situation. 55 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: It's all so bleak. 56 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: If you want to see the documentary made whilst reporting this, 57 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: it's out now god to YouTube dot com slash at 58 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: Away Days TV. The documentary is called Favella government. 59 00:03:59,400 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 2: No. 60 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: Presented this podcast in a straightforward way, documenting my first 61 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: hand perceptions of the favelas, the gangs, the people. It's 62 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: much easier for the listener that way when the media 63 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: is presented in a podcast format. But as I've mentioned, 64 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: I was there with a small team my guys that 65 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: I work with when making independent documentaries, either for Popular Front, 66 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: Away Days or elsewhere. So to end this part of 67 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: the Away Days podcast, I wanted to speak to Louis Hollis. 68 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: He's an incredible documentary filmmaker and photographer. He was the 69 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: lad that was with me every step of the way 70 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: in the favela and he has some interesting insights. What 71 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: was your first impression when we first went in there? 72 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 4: Maybe what I wasn't expecting was the almost the sense 73 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 4: of separation. And I think it was when we passed 74 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 4: that first checkpoint, because we'd already been taken on motorbikes 75 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 4: from a kind of lower point. 76 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 5: In the you know, the kind of entry point to 77 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 5: the favela. 78 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 4: But it was going past that first checkpoint and realizing that, okay, 79 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 4: this is These aren't like guys that just come out 80 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 4: after dark or are sort of hiding. It's kind of 81 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 4: very out in the open and you're you're in their territory. Now, 82 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 4: it's like literally their territory, I suppose, just just the 83 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 4: kind of maze like quality of a favela and how 84 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 4: to an outsider it's it's it's kind of impregnable in 85 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 4: a way. 86 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, I realized, like like you like, once we're past 87 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: a certain bit, it's like no one's coming. 88 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: Here to get you out, like you know what I mean? 89 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: It's crazy, Like it was easy to get in once 90 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: we had the access and the permission, but without that 91 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: you're getting shot. You know what I mean, I could 92 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: kind of I don't know about you, but I kind 93 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: of felt that at one point, Like you know, when 94 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: we're in the alleyway and the lad there's like, oh yeah, 95 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: they call this alleyway the place where bullets fly. 96 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 2: I was like, oh. 97 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: Shit, Like you know, it kind of made me realize, 98 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: like this is actually night and day compared to the city. 99 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 5: Yeah. Absolutely. 100 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 4: I think where I really realized was I think when 101 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 4: we got to the kind of that little hillside moment 102 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 4: of realization of the kind of level of control that 103 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 4: these guys have over this area is when we came 104 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 4: across their sort of wholesale drug supply area. 105 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 5: The sort of it was like a kind of you know. 106 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 4: Disused bus stop where they're all hanging out and they're 107 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 4: just openly sawing you know, drug packages, hanging around with 108 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 4: a whole array of weapons, and it'd probably be quite 109 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 4: easy to surveil that if the police really wanted to. 110 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 4: The guys making no attempt to hide their activities. 111 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was almost the opposite. 112 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: It was like they want you to see because I 113 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: guess for them that's like letting all the people that 114 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: need the drugs know that's the sale point, you know 115 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: what I mean? 116 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, definitely, and it's but there's no also no fear 117 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 4: of any kind of you know, law enforcement or police being. 118 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 5: Anywhere near that are coming in. You know. I think the. 119 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 4: Sense we got is that if the police are coming 120 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 4: in here, they're coming in shooting. There's no there's no 121 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 4: squad car that's going to roll around the corner. It's 122 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 4: like they this is CV territory. 123 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's something that I like, I've seen it a 124 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: few times in my work over the years, but there 125 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: I could really feel this like matter of fact vibe 126 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: where they saw themselves as like equal in terms of 127 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: like violence and firepower. It wasn't like, well, you know, 128 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: we'll run away and maybe it was like no, no, 129 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: like if they come up here with shooting them, you 130 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: know what I mean, and they had the guns they had, Okay, 131 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: they're not literally equal, but it felt to me as 132 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: if they felt like, you know, it was one force 133 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: against the other on equal footing. 134 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, but do you get what 135 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 2: I mean? 136 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 4: Definitely, I think it kind of it felt, you know, 137 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 4: they had the sense of like, yeah, opposing armies or something. 138 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 4: It did not feel like it did not feel like 139 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 4: they were scared at all. And the kind of I 140 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 4: don't know, that moment where that you know, there's that 141 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 4: bit of gunfire that goes off in the distance, it's 142 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 4: sort of it. 143 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 5: Felt so normalized to them. 144 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 4: I think hearing that, you know, they kind of leapt 145 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 4: into action, I think, to go and check it out. 146 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 4: But it just felt like a lot of them didn't 147 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 4: really bat an eyelid. 148 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's sad how like normal the violence was. And 149 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: I think just before the gunfire went off and we 150 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: had to like move, I don't know if you remember, 151 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: but there was like all the lads were like showing 152 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: us their guns like yo, I got an oozy, and 153 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: like they had like a fucking kilo of drugs literally 154 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: like wrapped in plastic. 155 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 2: At our feet. 156 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: And then if you look over, there's just like two 157 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: young boys, maybe like eight nine years old, just watching 158 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: the whole thing. Man Like even in their faces you 159 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: could tell like they weren't. I don't feel like they 160 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: were scared. I feel like they were just curious. 161 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, you kind of see the kids because there were 162 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 5: kids everywhere. 163 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, there was no sort of like you know, 164 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 4: shield the kids away from this. It's like they're just 165 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 4: like they're like soldiers patrolling, you know, patrolling the streets 166 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 4: or like you know, armed police. That's in a way, 167 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 4: but you know, kids in flip flops, which very expensive 168 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 4: as all rifle. You kind of got a sense of 169 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 4: the pipeline of kids going into that world as well. 170 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 5: It didn't seem like, you know, the. 171 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 4: Kids necessarily not trying to be kept separate. It felt 172 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 4: like a kind of multi You could see like almost 173 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 4: the different generations in the gang all working together in 174 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 4: that drug zerf. It felt like, you know, it's like 175 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 4: imagine your hometown and you and all your mates are 176 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 4: in the gang, but then your dad and all his 177 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 4: generation are in the same gangs. 178 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I do you know what, I didn't even think 179 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: about that, And you're right, because I don't know if 180 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,599 Speaker 1: you remember. But like after the gunfire and like it 181 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: chilled out, we went back to that like kind of 182 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: dealers spot and there was that young lad in the 183 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 1: ballet clava and you had a hat on and he 184 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: was wearing all the camo and like I think he 185 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: wanted us to Like he was like, oh, I want 186 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: to talk. But then when he realized, like we're not 187 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: giving he wanted money, do you remember, and then we're 188 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: like we're paying people to speak. At that point he 189 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: was like I don't want to talk then. But like 190 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: that guy was like what like sixteen seventeen maybe so young? 191 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 5: So young? I mean him, Yeah, he sticks out to me. 192 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 4: And also the kid, you know, the one who we 193 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 4: passed on the sort of CV checkpoint, and that really 194 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 4: stuck with me. 195 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 5: I think you've got this kid, she's kind of. 196 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 4: You know, his his day to day job is basically 197 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 4: sitting over one of the most idyllic views probably of Rio. Yeah, 198 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 4: and you know he's got a pistol in his back, 199 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 4: you know, in his waistband and a walkie talkie and 200 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 4: he's he's kind of I don't know, he's I guess 201 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 4: in his art, you know what what's going through his head? 202 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:46,719 Speaker 5: What's what's his sort of. 203 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 4: I don't know, how does he see his what's he 204 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 4: thinking about his trajectory? 205 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: The worry is that his future is death. 206 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: I mean, if you look at that lad that we 207 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: were just talking about, the wanted money he's dead. He's 208 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: been shot and killed like since like a couple months 209 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: after we left, Like there was some kind of gang 210 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: shootout and he got shot by like another gang, the 211 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: guy calling himself Fat Sexy. He's been shot dead by 212 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: the cops since. Like it's fucking crazy. 213 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I think maybe, you know, the fact that 214 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 4: it was quite while we then would maybe make you 215 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 4: think that it's maybe it's kind of once in a 216 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,199 Speaker 4: while that something happens. But clearly this, you know, these 217 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 4: guys are ready to fight at a moment's notice. 218 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. 219 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 1: I messaged Diogo, like the guy from the Luta leave 220 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Rey gym, and he was like sending me a voice 221 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 1: note and there's just like gunfire in the background, and 222 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: he was like, oh yeah, there's like the police are 223 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: launching an operation today, like just blase, just like cure 224 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: gunfire in the background, like the gang and the fucking 225 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: police shooting each I was like, wow, like it's just crazy. 226 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: What did you make of him? By the way, the Yogo. 227 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 5: He was the most interesting person we met. 228 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 4: I mean, he he kind of represented how complicated this 229 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 4: whole story I think is definitely you know, he's working 230 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 4: this guy who's lost his dad was a cop. He's 231 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 4: from the favela. His dad was a cop. You know, 232 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 4: where does that then place him in the sort of 233 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 4: you know, the kind of hierarchy had his dad not 234 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 4: been killed. 235 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 5: But he's you. 236 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 4: Know, experienced losing his dad at a young age and 237 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 4: could have gone his life could have gone in any direction. 238 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 4: But he's he's here working in this gang belt built 239 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 4: sports center, trying to give kids a sort of positive outlet. 240 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 2: It's crazy, man, And yeah. 241 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 4: He just instantly got a sense of like a really 242 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 4: good guy and someone who's you know, been through a lot, 243 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 4: but it has you know, he's he knows, he knows 244 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 4: he's trying to do. 245 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 5: You know, you could see a guy with a kind 246 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 5: of a bit of a mission. 247 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 2: Definitely, Yeah, you can see it. Like he know, he 248 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 2: didn't say it. 249 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: I kind of felt this vibe of like he's defiant 250 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: against everyone, like he will do what he's got to do. 251 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 2: You know. 252 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, Lou, but I felt a 253 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 1: little bit like when we were interviewing him, he was 254 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,959 Speaker 1: kind of obviously he can't say anything negative about the gang, 255 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: but I felt he was a little bit uncomfortable maybe 256 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: like it's like he kind of without saying it. I 257 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: feel like he was almost kind of like, yeah, you know, 258 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: these people are hard to deal with, but I deal 259 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: with it, you know what I mean, Like it didn't 260 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: seem like he was like, oh, no, they're great. 261 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 2: I got some kind of vibe. I don't know about you. 262 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly. 263 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 4: He's you know, I think they are ultimately the law 264 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 4: in this, in this, but you know, in filout fogato, 265 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 4: and you don't know what the repercussions are for speaking 266 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 4: out against CV publicly, and you know, I can imagine, 267 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 4: I can imagine it's probably. 268 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 5: Not good. Yeah, he wasn't. He wasn't kind of singing 269 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 5: the gang's praises. I think I. 270 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,719 Speaker 4: Think he probably perhaps represented the views of a lot 271 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 4: of you know, people who maybe from the favella but 272 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 4: wouldn't mind living somewhere else, or you know that they 273 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 4: can't that it's CV is not a way of life 274 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 4: for them. Yeah, they live in the favela and that's 275 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 4: you know, that's that's the reality, and they're trying to 276 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 4: make the best of it. 277 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: The one thing I didn't see though, and maybe it 278 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: was just that specific favella we're in. I mean, it's 279 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: a very big Favella is a lot going on. But 280 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: I didn't get the sense that people were necessarily like 281 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: day to day scared, like you know, little kids were 282 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: like looking around. They didn't even flinch, like nobody even 283 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: like every civilian was just like I didn't even feel 284 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: like they were overcompensated. They were just like, huh, like whatever, 285 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. I don't know, did you 286 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: feel like anyone was actually scared there. I mean, I'm 287 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: sure they're scared of what could happen to them if 288 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: they crossed the gang we all know. But I didn't 289 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: get the feeling that everybody there was on tender hawks. 290 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 2: I don't know about you. 291 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 5: No, I know, I didn't think I either, and I didn't. 292 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 5: I didn't know. 293 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 4: I didn't sense that at all in Jogo at the gym, No. Yeah, 294 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 4: it just yeah, it's just like a kind of a 295 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 4: kind of resignation. 296 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 5: This is life, Yeah, much in any other you. 297 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 4: Know, if you live in a country with a government 298 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 4: or you know, or you don't like you what can 299 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 4: you do. I think it seemed, yeah, it didn't seem 300 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 4: it didn't seem to be like a tension between CV 301 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 4: and the people of the Favella, and I think maybe 302 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 4: that speaks to how kind of ingrained they are there 303 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 4: and how many people are involved in it. 304 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 5: In one way or another. But it yeah, it's it's 305 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 5: they're not going anywhere. 306 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: Was there anything that really surprised you, Maybe you had 307 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: like a preconception or whatever that surprised you or what. 308 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 2: You know. 309 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 5: What was interesting actually was I remember asking. 310 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 4: The guy in our film he's known as Players, Yeah, 311 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 4: and I wasn't expecting his answer, but I said, you know, 312 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 4: do you know people in these rival areas? Because all 313 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 4: the time we were there, they would point out, they'd say, 314 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 4: that's CV over there, and that's our rivals. You know, 315 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 4: fuck them basically. But I remember we were sat eating 316 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 4: some food and said, you know, do you know does 317 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 4: you know anyone in these areas? And he said, yeah, 318 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 4: I went to school with quite a few of these 319 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 4: guys and we sort of, you know, if I see 320 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 4: them in a neutral area, he said, you know, we'll 321 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 4: shake hands, but we're still rivals at war. And again, 322 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 4: it's so it's the kind of absurd answer in a way, 323 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 4: isn't it. 324 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: I totally forgot about that, and that is actually such 325 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: an interesting point. Yeah, I forgot about that. I remember 326 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: him saying it. I was thinking, what the fuck, Like, 327 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: if you see he's like, yeah, if they're in our 328 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: part of Avella, like he's going to shoot them, But 329 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: if he sees them in a neutral area, they shake hands. 330 00:16:58,160 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 2: Like that's that man. 331 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's sad, and it's you know again, it's almost 332 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 4: like it's like they don't know anything else apart from 333 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 4: these rivalries and this kind of constant state of war. 334 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 4: It's kind of like it's just a factor of life 335 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 4: that yeah, we're friends, but he's also my enemy. 336 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, and he said something really good as well. He 337 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: was like, this is a war that is going to 338 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: go on until the end of time. And like, after 339 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:29,959 Speaker 1: being there, I kind of believe that, like I don't 340 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: see how you could possibly end it or solve it, 341 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: you know, Like I just I'm sure maybe maybe I'm 342 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: just you know, like being a bit negative, but I'm 343 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: sure there's like there's a line where you go past 344 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: after a certain amount of time and insurgency and violence 345 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: and government corruption and whatever. I just cannot imagine any 346 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: way to change what is going on there. 347 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 4: No, I mean not without either the cooperation of the 348 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 4: gang with the government. 349 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 5: Which would never happen. 350 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's just no trust there whatsoever, or you know, 351 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 4: some kind of enormous operation on the police part to 352 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 4: eradicate CV, which you know, it's just never it's never 353 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 4: going to happen, is it. 354 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 5: You know. I think it's kind of like the Dyers cast. 355 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 4: Almost like they just sort of perhaps the government just thinks, well, 356 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 4: it's not worth our time to try and change these areas. 357 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 2: I think so. 358 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: And I think as well the fact that you just 359 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: don't see any like there's no presence of the state there. 360 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: It would cost the government so much money to then 361 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: start caring about these areas. 362 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 2: It's like another country almost. 363 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 5: Absolutely. Yeah, Yeah, and that's what that's what it felt like. 364 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 4: It felt like you've got it's just it's like a 365 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 4: mini sort of state within a state. And yes, they're 366 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 4: all Brazilians and they go into Rio, but it's they 367 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 4: come and it's like they live in a different country 368 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 4: and they sort of have to. They're just left to 369 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 4: their own devices. And I guess that's the sort of 370 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 4: the question you're asking in the film is like is 371 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 4: this because of CV or is this because of the 372 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 4: absence of our CV? 373 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 5: Because the government's not here. 374 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 2: I don't know about that. Still, what do you reckon? 375 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 4: Oh, it's so it's hard to say it's I mean, 376 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 4: you'd have to you'd have to sort of wind the back, 377 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 4: wouldn't you. I think it's clearly they've always been. I 378 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 4: don't think it's these novelas were never sort of affluent 379 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 4: areas or it's not like I once working class area 380 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 4: that has since declined like you might see in America 381 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 4: or something. 382 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 5: I think it's these. 383 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 4: Have always been the sort of poorest sections of society 384 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 4: in Brazil, and you know where they were they ever 385 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 4: really about. 386 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 5: I don't know. I wouldn't say, I'm no. 387 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: I think I think that's a good point. It's not 388 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 1: like it's not like they can go back to a 389 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: different way. It was always like this, you know. It 390 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 1: was just the people were like, right, get out of 391 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: the way from the government, like go there, and that's that. 392 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: It's it's crazy. One thing that made me laugh actually, 393 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: on a brighter note, before we went out there, the 394 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: kind of online idea is that everybody in CV territory 395 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: wears Nike and everybody in the other gang where it's 396 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: added ass right, And I remember saying to you like Louis, 397 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: bring nikes, don't wear any added ass. Day When we 398 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: get there, the main guy is wearing added ass, and uh, 399 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: I was like what the fuck? And at one point 400 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: I got Chiago to ask one of them like about that, 401 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: and he was like, nah, it's just some fucking myth. 402 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: I was like, wow, Like you go online and like 403 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: everywhere says that that's how it is, and maybe. 404 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 2: It was like fifty years ago. 405 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: I don't know, but yeah, it was so funny to 406 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: see like loads of added ass and like online it's like, yeah, 407 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: if you wear ed ass and the favela in the 408 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,160 Speaker 1: wrong gang, you might get killed. And then no one 409 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: gave a shit about it anything like that. Man, it's 410 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: very funny. 411 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 4: Well, you and me going in there and full night 412 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 4: must have looked like a sort of throwbacks. 413 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: Probably yeah, they must have thought what are these idiot 414 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: gringo is doing? And in my head I was like, oh, like, 415 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: we we're really fit and. 416 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 2: We aren't gonna get shot. 417 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,239 Speaker 1: And then in reality they're probably just like what the 418 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: fuck is wrong with these guys? 419 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 2: But yeah, man, I don't know. 420 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 4: I think if we've been wearing the wrong football shirts, 421 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 4: I get the impression we might have been in trouble. 422 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: But yeah, yeah, they love the football there. 423 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: That was what was there? What was the flamenco? Yeah yeah, 424 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: really cool. All right, Thank thanks so much, man, that's 425 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: been really great. I really wanted to just get your 426 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: kind of perspective on it. 427 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:34,479 Speaker 3: Man. 428 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 2: I appreciate it, my pleasure. 429 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 5: It was an incredible experience. 430 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: So as I said, the last time we were in 431 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: the favelas was about a year ago. What's been happening recently, Well, 432 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: over the last three months, crime in Rio's favelas has 433 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: flared at big time. Clashes between drugs, gangs and the police, 434 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,959 Speaker 1: as well as increasing pressure from the vigilanti militias, are 435 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: kicking things off in a very violent way. One of 436 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: the biggest events happened in June, when Rio's civil police 437 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: carried out a massive operation in the so called Israel Complex, 438 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 1: an area controlled by the Pure Third Command faction. The 439 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 1: raid followed a long investigation and led to almost a 440 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: dozen arrests and the seizure of many rifles, but it 441 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: didn't come without the usual chaos. Stray bullets hit a 442 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: bus driver and a passenger in separate incidents downtown amidst 443 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:46,679 Speaker 1: a gunfight. Video footage from this event showed average civilians 444 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: diving for cover along busy roads out in the street 445 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: in the middle of the day. Just a few weeks earlier, 446 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: in May, another big raid took place in the Mare Complex, 447 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: another hotbed of gang activity. This time the target was 448 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 1: Chiago the Silver Folly, the alleged top boss of previously 449 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: mentioned Pure Third Command. He was killed in a shootout 450 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: along with two other of his henchmen. Folly had a 451 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: massive rap sheet, nearly two hundred and thirty charges and 452 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: over a dozen active arrest warrants. His death was a 453 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: major moment in the states ongoing effort to crack down 454 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: on armed gangs, with one of the governors insisting that 455 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: the government won't back down in the face of organized crime, 456 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,200 Speaker 1: even though many of them are involved with it. Naturally, 457 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: these raids brought serious disruption. Roads were shut, schools were closed, 458 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: and people living nearby were once again caught in the 459 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: middle of the crossfire. Interestingly, though it was all this 460 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: was going on, Brazil's Supreme Court has been looking into 461 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: a case that restricts police from carrying out raids in 462 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: favelas unless absolutely necessary. It originally came into force during 463 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: the pandemic, trying to stop the increasingly aggressive police in 464 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: that often left many civilians dead and still does. But 465 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: even with these limits, police raids haven't exactly slowed down. 466 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,640 Speaker 1: Over four thy six hundred were carried out between mid 467 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty and early twenty twenty five, even with these 468 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: proposed restrictions. One recent operation in Villa Kennedy led to 469 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: school closures and even health services being suspended because of 470 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: the sheer level of violence in the streets. Again, the 471 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: civilians pay the price. At the same time, residents are 472 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: still living under the control of rival criminal groups. One side, 473 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: you've got the major gangs that we've spoken about in 474 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 1: this series. They enforced their own rules in many of 475 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: the favelas, and on the other there are the militias 476 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: made up of the ex cops, maybe serving cops, military 477 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 1: even firemen. These are acts like private armies, offering up 478 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: so called protection while running their own extortion rackets. In 479 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: many cases, it's actually these groups, not the police, the 480 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: government or the gangs, who are setting curfews and dictate 481 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: who operates what businesses. They decide who stays who goes. 482 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: They're the ones pushing their heavy taxes on a lot 483 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: of the people there in the forvelas. As you can imagine, 484 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: all of this takes a toll. Schools are constantly shot 485 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: when the violence breaks out. Residents, especially children, are living 486 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: with the constant risk of getting caught in the crossfire, 487 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: and studies show that nearly half of favela residents have 488 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: heard gunfire recently. Many are suffering mentally because of it, 489 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: with PTSD and various other undiagnosed issues. Now remember this 490 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: where you listen to the podcast. For most people living 491 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: there in the forvelas, the fights between the gangs, the 492 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: militias and the police is not some abstract thing. It's 493 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: right outside at their front door. To really drive that 494 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: horm After listening to this chapter of the Away Days podcast, 495 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,119 Speaker 1: I want to leave you with a few more details 496 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: on the Falete Foggetero massacre we touched on in an 497 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: earlier episode. Quote back in February twenty nineteen, the Palette 498 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,680 Speaker 1: Fogetero favela in central Rio was the site of one 499 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: of the deadliest and most controversial police raids in recent memory. 500 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: Official reports said thirteen people were killed, but some local 501 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: accounts claimed up to fifteen. The operation was carried out 502 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: by Rio's elite military police units BOPE and the Shot 503 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,719 Speaker 1: Battalion as part of a crackdown on drugs gangs in 504 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: the area, but what actually happened that day has been 505 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: heavily disputed ever since. Residents say the police didn't arrive 506 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 1: in an active shootout. According to many eyewitnesses, the victims 507 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: had already surrendered or were unarmed when they were killed. 508 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: Were reportedly executed at point blank range inside their houses. 509 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: Several bodies were shot in the back, suggesting they were 510 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: fleeing or had already given up. One particularly disturbing claim 511 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: is that police dragged bodies away and dumped them in 512 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: nearby hospitals, a tactic that human rights organizations say is 513 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: sometimes used to tample with evidence and make it harder 514 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: to investigate the actual cause of death. Groups like Human 515 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: Rights Watch and local watchdogs raised serious red flags about 516 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: how the operation was handled. Photos showed blood soaked mattresses, 517 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: bullet holes in walls, and signs that crime scenes have 518 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 1: been disturbed. There were accusations that the police messed with 519 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: the locations of the bodies and gave false reports. Families 520 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: of the victims were left devastated and furious, saying there 521 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 1: were poor young men, many of whom had no criminal records, 522 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: and were killed in cold blood. Despite all of this, 523 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: the investigation moved painfully slow for. 524 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 2: Months, nothing really happened. 525 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: Then, in twenty twenty, Rio's public prosecutors officially recommended closing 526 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: the case. They argued that the police had acted lawfully 527 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: and were justified in their use of lethal force. This 528 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 1: decision was slammed by human rights groups, who called it 529 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: a whitewash and said it sent the message that police 530 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: can kill in the favelas with no consequences. To this day, 531 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: no officers have been charged or held accountable for the 532 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: Flete Foggtero massacre. The families are still fighting for justice, 533 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: but the case is pretty much vanished from the news. 534 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: For many people in Rio's favelas, it was just another 535 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: example of how the system turns a blind eye when 536 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: poor black favela communities are on the receiving end of 537 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: police violence. 538 00:28:53,440 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 5: End the quote. 539 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: Next week, it's the third and final chapter of Await 540 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: Days podcast. We'll take you on the ground amidst the 541 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: new generation of Japan's illegal street racers. They like to 542 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: go very very first, you've been listening to the Away 543 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: Days podcast. To watch independent Away Days documentaries, subscribe to 544 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 1: our channel at YouTube dot com slash at away Days TV. 545 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,479 Speaker 1: Your Wait Days podcast is a production of H eleven 546 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 1: Studio for Cool Zone Media. Reporting, producing, writing, editing and 547 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: research by me Jake Hanrahan, co producing by Sophy Lichtormin. 548 00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:00,479 Speaker 1: Music by Sam Black and in this episode, Diamondstein mixed 549 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,600 Speaker 1: by splicing block. Photography by Johnny Pickup and Louis Hollis. 550 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: Graphic design by Laura Adamson and Casey Highfield.