Brazilian militias

Common card · No. 273567

Brazilian militias (Portuguese: Milícias), mainly in Rio de Janeiro, and some other cities of Brazil, are illegal mafia-like vigilante paramilitary groups made up mostly of current and former (Municipal, Federal, Civil or Military) police officers, as well as former gang members, prison and security guards, regular military soldiers and firefighters, often in affiliation with the local political and business community and under the pretext of combating drug-trafficking related crime within their community. They are responsible for the torture and extrajudicial killings of numerous actual or suspected rival criminals in addition to political opponents and dissidents, while operating also similarly to regular criminal syndicates by trade extortion and political influence including through electoral subversion and interference. Militias carry out both vigilante and organized crime activities. In the favelas, drug gangs like ADA and Red Command control trafficking and violence networks, openly...

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