Amid Violence, Rio Does Not Have a Security Plan for Carnival

01/31/2018 - 10h46

Pre-Carnival blocks are already parading the streets of Rio, but the city does not have a security plan yet.

Less than two weeks before Carnival officially starts and amid a wave of violence in the city, municipal and state authorities have not published a plan to protect revelers in street carnival blocks.

According to Riotur, from the city hall, the disclosure and implementation of the security plan are on schedule, in line with previous years. The Public Security Office claims there has been no delays in devising their strategy and says the plan should be announced next week.

Revelers question, however, the fact that there has not been an early and structured planning in view of the current wave of violence washing over the city. Last weekend, a waiter was killed in a shooting, causing panic among revelers of a block in Tijuca, Northern area of Rio.

"After such a serious event, authorities should have announced an emergency plan on Sunday [28]. It's already Tuesday, and they haven't announced anything so far. You have to think twice before coming to Rio for Carnival. A lot of people have already cancelled their trips," says Rita Fernandes, president of Sebastiana, a group of blocks of Southern Rio.

SECURITY CRISIS

With late wages and not enough money to fix police vehicles and equipment, Rio has been suffering with escalating violence.

The crisis has also affected project UPPs (Pacifying Police Unit), which is currently undergoing some changes, making way for new wars among criminal factions.

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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	Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
	Revellers from Portela samba school perform at the Sambadrome in Rio