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DE RUEHRI #0365/01 3131729
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O 091729Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0014
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA IMMEDIATE 0012
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE IMMEDIATE 0006
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO IMMEDIATE
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIO DE JANEIRO 000365 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/09 
TAGS: SOCI SNAR PGOV ASEC BR
SUBJECT: RIO WEIGHS OPTIONS FOR NEXT FAVELA PACIFICATION 
 
REF: RIO DE JANEIRO 329; RIO DE JANEIRO 346; RIO DE JANEIRO 353 
 
RIO DE JAN 00000365  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Dennis W. Hearne, Principal Officer; REASON: 1.4(B), 
(D) 
 
SUMMARY 
 
 
 
¶1. (C) On October 29, the Superintendent for Operational Planning 
from Rio's State Security Secretariat said Rio Governor Sergio 
Cabral would decide by the end of November whether to "pacify" five 
less populated, lower-threat favela communities or focus on one 
largely populated, higher-threat favela by the end of the year. 
According to Alzir, the Favela Pacification Program's strategic 
plan envisions the pacification of 131 favela communities over the 
next five years, and would do so by increasing Pacification Police 
Unit (UPP) personnel from 500 to 12,000.  Alzir stated increasing 
police recruitment was critical to making the five year horizon 
viable, and said Rio state would be seeking federal funding to 
increase police salaries.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
RIO AUTHORITIES WEIGH OPTIONS FOR NEXT FAVELA PACIFICATION 
 
 
 
¶2. (C) Rio state and police authorities will decide the next 
target(s) for the Favela Pacification Program (FPP) in the coming 
weeks.  During an October 29 meeting with consulate officers to lay 
out the FPP strategy and time-line, Roberto Alzir, Superintendent 
for Operational Planning from Rio's State Security Secretariat, 
said Rio de Janeiro Governor Sergio Cabral would decide by the end 
of the November whether to "pacify" five less populated, 
lower-threat favela communities or focus on one largely populated, 
higher-threat favela by the end of the year.  Four other favelas 
with some 90,000 residents are currently pacified, i.e. mostly free 
of gang activity and with the population accessible for city 
services and social assistance (Note: As reported in reftel A, the 
"pacification" of a favela community involves state police special 
operations units (BOPE) first entering a favela by force.  Once 
criminal elements that control a favela are purged, 
state-administered Pacification Police Unit (UPP) officers then 
replace traditional police forces, in order to maintain order, 
foster long-term ties between the state and the community, and 
assist with the delivery of basic services to the favela.  End 
Note.) 
 
 
 
RIO'S FAVELAS PACIFIED IN FIVE YEARS TIME? 
 
 
 
¶3. (C) FPP objectives encompass over 100 favela communities, using 
12,000 UPP officers, within a target time horizon of five years. 
According to Alzir, the FPP strategic plan envisions the 
pacification of 131 favela communities, with a total affected 
population of approximately 780,000 residents - including the key, 
drug gang-controlled favelas Complexo de Alemao, Rocinha, and 
Complexo de Mare.  He said this goal would normally take 13-15 
years to achieve, but the Rio government sought to accomplish the 
objective within five years.  In order to do so, security officials 
plan to increase the number of UPP officers - the centerpiece of 
the FPP strategy - to 12,000, as well as increase overall Military 
Police (MP) numbers to 55,000 by 2016.  (Note: UPP ranks currently 
number only 500 officers, of a total of 36,000 MP men and women. 
End Note). 
 
 
 
¶4. (C) Alzir stated increasing police recruitment was critical to 
making the five year horizon viable, and said Rio state would be 
seeking federal funding to increase police salaries (Note: Standard 
MP officer monthly salary is approximately 1,000 Brazilian Reals, 
or 600 USD.  UPP officers earn an additional 500 Brazilian Reals, 
or 300 USD, paid for by the Rio municipal government.  End Note.) 
Stating, "The state does not have enough money," Alzir explained 
the Rio state government was asking for federal assistance to cover 
the increase (amount unspecified) until 2016, when the state would 
assume the additional amount. 
 
 
 
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION 
 
RIO DE JAN 00000365  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. (C) In selecting favelas for pacification, state and police 
authorities weigh location, strategic impact, tactical terrain, and 
resource requirements, with final approval coming from the 
Governor.  Showing consulate officers a satellite image of a 
pacified favela's radius of gunfire reach, extending well into 
Rio's famed Copacabana neighborhood and beach area, Alzir explained 
the FPP's goal was to prioritize favelas adjacent to concentrated 
tourist areas.  In selecting favelas for pacification, security 
officials first gather intelligence to develop a comprehensive 
profile for each community, crafting tactical maps that show 
primary access and escape routes, known drug gang hideouts and 
strongholds, and key civilian points, such as schools and churches. 
Authorities also weigh the strategic impact of a pacification. 
They analyze this information against manpower and resources 
available, and draw up a list of suitable target favelas.  The 
Governor, with recommendations from the MP Police Chief and State 
Secretary for Security, then selects the community. 
 
 
 
¶6. (C) Alzir explained his biggest concern about the FPP was losing 
progress due to change of governments.  "We need the next state 
government to pursue this, to continue with this commitment," That 
said, Alzir expressed optimism that Rio's hosting of the 2016 
Olympics will make state, local, and federal authorities "move 
forward, faster" on favela pacification. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) While Alzir did not specifically name the Complexo de 
Alemao - controlled by the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) drug 
faction - as the large, high-threat candidate for pacification by 
year's end, it is likely the principal stronghold Rio authorities 
have their sights on.  Rio State Secretary for Security Jose 
Mariano Beltrame told Principal Officer on September 22 this favela 
was the "epicenter of the fight," and stated a pacification 
operation would take place there in early 2010 (reftel A).  On 
October 17, Comando Vermelho gunmen shot down a police helicopter, 
killing four officers (reftel B), and, in retaliation, MP tactical 
raids since targeted 14 Comando Vermelho-controlled favelas.  Given 
that any police operation into Complexo de Alemao would be 
"traumatic" in terms of scale of violence, however, it is unlikely 
that the Rio security apparatus would be prepared to launch an 
operation into Complexo de Alemao before the December holidays and 
February Carnival festivities. 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) Whether Rio's next step involves a high-profile operation 
in Complexo de Alemao or the pacification of smaller, 
easier-to-secure favelas, we anticipate continued unintended 
consequences, such as those reported in reftel C.  In yet another 
example of such consequences, a neighborhood association from the 
affluent Leme neighborhood recently met with State Security 
Secretary Beltrame to complain about the expansion of the 
Babilonia-Chapeu Mangueira favela - one of Rio's four pacified 
favela communities - that borders Leme.  According to the 
neighborhood association, the new-found stability in this favela is 
attracting squatters from other areas, resulting in a flurry of 
hastily - and illegally - constructed new abodes and rising crime 
rates in the neighborhood.  We will continue to monitor and report 
on such developments, as well as how ongoing FPP operations bear on 
Rio's overall security, commercial, and social environment.  End 
Comment.