Brazilian authorities have significantly heightened security measures in Rio de Janeiro in anticipation of Prince William’s upcoming visit, following a violent day that resulted in the deaths of 64 individuals, including four police officers. Additionally, 80 suspects were apprehended in efforts to thwart the criminal activities of the feared gang known as Comando Vermelho. The government is urgently seeking the capture of the gang’s leader before Prince William’s scheduled arrival on Friday to present the Earthshot prize.
Law enforcement, including armed units, is engaged in a massive manhunt for the notorious mob boss, Edgard Alves Andrade, also known as Urso. An organization similar to Crimestoppers has offered a substantial reward for information leading to the arrest of the 55-year-old fugitive, who is accused of over 100 executions.
Amid escalating tensions, a source revealed concerns over potential violence resurfacing during Prince William’s presence in Rio, prompting a surge in security deployment, including thousands of additional officers and military personnel.
Andrade, identified as a key figure in the Red Command gang, managed to evade a large-scale police operation involving 2,500 officers in two Rio slums. A bounty of £14,000 has been placed on his capture, marking the highest reward ever offered by Disque Denuncia, an organization established in Rio three decades ago.
The criminal history of Andrade includes masterminding various heinous acts, such as a triple murder in a Rio tourist area, where three doctors were mistakenly targeted as gang rivals. Furthermore, he is suspected of orchestrating the killings of hitmen involved in the doctors’ executions.
Referred to as Rio’s public enemy number one, Andrade is also linked to the disappearance of three children from Belford Roxo, who vanished in December 2020 under tragic circumstances. Allegations suggest the children were tortured and killed due to a theft incident involving a birdcage belonging to a drug dealer’s relative.
Andrade, a native of Paraiba in Brazil, has been on the run since escaping prison in 2017, with multiple arrest warrants pending against him. Disque Denuncia has issued a statement offering a substantial reward for his capture, emphasizing his involvement in numerous homicides and criminal activities.
Rio’s governor, Claudio Castro, characterized the ongoing situation as a state of war, denoting the intense clashes between law enforcement and criminal elements as a form of narco-terrorism. The recent police operation targeting the Red Command, Brazil’s oldest criminal faction, reflects the government’s concerted efforts to combat organized crime in the region.