The secretary of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro stated that the mega-operation against Comando Vermelho was a success that changes the history of the fight against organized crime. However, if history serves as a lesson, operations considered successful on similar occasions, in the same place, did not result in significant changes in the fight against criminal factions. On the contrary: the authorities themselves admit that armed groups are stronger, more organized and, therefore, should even change their category, being classified as terrorist groups.
The history of armed conflicts also teaches that counting bodies among the enemy ranks — in this case, the members of the faction — is not equivalent to achieving victory. As the Secretary of Police himself recognizes, this is a phenomenon of enormous complexity. It expanded over time, infiltrated the State, occupied and maintains vast urban areas. Furthermore, it has internationalized, diversified its illicit activities, transferred part of its profits to the formal economy and makes calculated and intelligent use of financial system instruments.
Historical experience also shows that the rare cases of success in combating organized crime depended on the convergence of political forces, collective awareness of the seriousness of the situation and coordinated strategies at various levels. None of this, however, seems to exist today in Brazil.
The country that emerges from this episode is the portrait of a nation incapable of dealing with the explosive phenomenon of violence, crime and the horror show represented by the queue — a country in which those who simply “wipe the ice” believe they are succeeding.
