Rio slums celebrate six months free from drug lords

This Sunday a celebration took place in the hillside slums of Penha and Morro do Alemão, located in the north area (“zona norte”) of Rio de Janeiro. After decades in the hands of drug dealers, the area was brought back under state and city government control through the program known as UPPs (armed police units are sent to pacify the area and when that is done, residents are offered normal services by the state and city). The celebration this weekend marked six months since the UPP began (the acronym stands for Police Pacification Unit).

The highlight of the Sunday events was a race through the streets, called the Peace Race. A total of R$40,000 was given in prizes, half of the money went to local residents (about one thousand people ran in the race, some of them were professional runners).

The governor of the state of Rio, Sergio Cabral, and other state and city authorities attended the ceremonies marking the occasion. Among them the state secretary of Public Security and the commander of the Pacification Force. Some 40 members of special operations police units (“Bope”), who were involved in taking the slum back from drug dealers six months ago, also ran in the race.

According to the secretary of Public Security, José Mariano Beltrame, the race and celebration showed that the slum areas are once again a part of society, and the inhabitants able to exercise their rights and duties of full citizenship.