Rio de Janeiro Pacification Programs: The militarization of the police in the perpetuation of structural violence

Abstract

Rio de Janeiro has gone through four attempts to decrease the levels of violence in the city, nonetheless the city continues to be portrayed in the news as a city of violence and war. The projects attempted to decrease violence rates as well as combat police corruption and brutality. Moreover, the four projects aimed at reinstating the State control over the favelas, areas considered to be under the command of criminal groups. Known for its violent practices and corruption, the police of Rio was the main object of reform in all of the four projects as an attempt to decrease police brutality, corruption and the tensions between police forces and the favela residents. Exposing the deep-rooted causes of Rio’s violence, the present paper analyses the four peace projects implemented in Rio through the lenses of structural violence. Between racism, classism and the culturally constructed militarized image of the police, Rio does not seem to be able to reach peace. Departing from the principle that the State is not absent from the favelas but rather gives its power to the gangs through corruption and exclusion, the present paper analyses the social impediments for peace.