La policía brasileña ingresó este domingo a una favela dominada por narcotraficantes como parte de la campaña para restaurar el orden en las proximidades del estadio Maracaná antes del Mundial de fútbol Brasil 2014 y las Olimpiadas de Río 2016.
Fotógrafos y camarógrafos de The Associated Press presenciaron el ingreso de centenares de policías y efectivos militares al barrio de Mangueira con apoyo de helicópteros y vehículos blindados.
La policía asumió el control de la favela sin tener que disparar, dijo en una conferencia de prensa televisada el director de seguridad pública del estado de Río de Janeiro, José Beltrame.
Las fuerzas de seguridad han ocupado y restablecido el orden en otros 17 barrios pobres de la ciudad.
El Maracaná será escenario de la final de la Copa Mundial y de las ceremonias de inauguración y clausura de los Juegos Olímpicos.
Síganos en Twitter: @ElUniversalCtg
A riot soldier secures a point at Rio de Janeiro's Morro da Mangueira shantytown above Maracana stadium during a pre-announced operation in the slum, early in the morning of June 19, 2011. Hundreds of Brazilian police and soldiers backed by helicopters and armored vehicles swept in Sunday to take over a crime-ridden Rio slum as part of a pacification plan ahead of the football World Cup in 2014. More than 100 marines and 160 elite police officers took part in the operation in the hillside Mangueira neighborhood, which went off without a shot being fired, a police spokesman said. Drug gangs which had been controlling the district had fled well in advance. AFP PHOTO/ANTONIO SCORZA
AFP ANTONIO SCORZA
Members of Brazil's special police unit BOPE take positions in a raid of the Mangueira slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday June 19, 2011. Hundreds of police officers and troops backed by helicopters and several armored vehicles invaded the shantytown early Sunday. They took control of the slum in what is the first step before installing police units to help pacify the poor community. Police did not face any resistance from drug trafficking gangs in the raid to help bring peace near Maracana stadium ahead of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) AP VICTOR R. CAIVANO 2