Rio was a trigger, but SP has weight in the security plan – 11/02/2023 – Bruno Boghossian

The crisis in Rio was the trigger for the federal government’s security package, but São Paulo appears with weight in the plan. Most of the measures signed by Lula target organized crime in São Paulo.

The military presence in the port of Santos and Guarulhos airport aims to target drug distribution by the PCC. In 2021, the IRS seized 17 tons of cocaine in the port of Santos, compared to 5 tons in Rio, according to data released by the Brazilian Public Security Forum.

“The problem that exists in Rio exists on a larger scale in the port of Santos, an activity that radiates urban violence to neighboring municipalities. If we are going down this path, we have to include Santos and Guarulhos”, Flávio Dino (Justice) told the column.

The border stretches chosen by the government to receive reinforcement are also those that supply the São Paulo faction: Paraná, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. The region of Ponta Porã (MS), on the border with Paraguay, for example, is a strategic location for the PCC.

Amazon routes, most used by gangs in Rio, will be part of another package, specific to the region, which will be launched next week. The government recognizes that criminals will have to seek new routes for drugs, but understands that the cost of reorganizing these networks could weaken the factions.

The focus on Rio and São Paulo, according to Dino, is based on the assessment that organized crime hubs in the states have a national impact. “Our most acute problem is the metropolises, because criminal activity radiates throughout the country.”

There are doubts about the effectiveness of the package because ports, airports and borders are already areas monitored by the PF and the Armed Forces. The president of the Brazilian Public Security Forum, Renato Sérgio de Lima, also highlighted that the plan does not confront the armed domination of territories by factions. “Drugs are only part of the problem. Operations do not resolve the issue of militias,” he pointed out.

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