Security at Rio+20 will be half of what it was for Eco-92

05/29/2012 - 11h31

The authority in charge of security for Rio+20 announced yesterday that security measures will be roughly half of what was mobilized for Eco-92.

There will be 15,000 security personnel on duty for this year's U.N. conference on sustainable development, compared to 27,000 in 1992.

General Adriano Pereira Junior, the head of the Eastern Military Command and coordinator of security measures for the conference, attributed the reduction in security to the pacification of the communities known as favelas.

"Rio de Janeiro is living in peace. I did not participate in the conference of 1992, but I believe that now there is less need for police reinforcement. We are going to police the event according to the threats that are currently present, which do not require such extensive security measures to be in place."

The security will include 8,000 members of the Armed Forces; 2,500 Metropolitan Police; 1000 members of the National Guard; 1,400 Federal Police; 1,400 Highway Patrol; 600 firemen; and an unannounced number of civil police. In 1992, there were 15,000 members of the army and more than 12,000 Metropolitan Police.

The main worry this year is the community known as Complexo da Maré, together with 22 favelas alongside the Red Line expressway that connects the Antônio Carlos Jobim international airport to the city. These communities still have armed drug traffickers, unlike areas in the southern part of the city (Zona Sul).

General Adriano affirmed that there would be no occupation of the favelas for the event. Armored vehicles will only be used as protection for the military on big avenues. In 1992, there was a controversy when there were tanks with guns trained on Rocinha, formerly one of the city's most notoriously dangerous favelas.

"We don't foresee the need to occupy any of the communities. The communities are not at risk of being displaced. We are going to interfere as little as possible with life in Rio. There will be armored vehicles, but more to protect the soldierswe don't consider armored vehicles to be a response any specific threat," said the general.

Besides the presence on the street, the army will use a Cybernetic Monitoring Center in order to prevent attacks from hackers. The plan requires an investment of R$20 million, according to the security forces.

"The most serious [threat] is the interruption of the energy supply by a cybernetic attack. There is already a structure in place to supply energy to the event using generators. Energy for the general public is the last priority," said General José Carlos dos Santos, who is responsible for this area.

There will also be a counterterrorism center with members of seven state and federal agencies. The escorting convoy of authorities will be comprised of 52 specialized teams from the Federal Police with the support of 416 motorcycle police and 29 helicopters.

Translated by ANNA EDGERTON