Arrest in Rio das Pedras Triggers New Wave of Violence as Security Becomes Central in Campaigns

Overview

• Police say the arrest of Philip do Nascimento Firmino, known as Bacurau, prompted organized reprisals that included at least five bus blockades, burning tires and attacks on a Military Police base in Rio das Pedras.
• The Polícia Militar continues operations in Gardênia Azul and Jacarepaguá with a specialized campaign called Barricada Zero to contain Comando Vermelho incursions and protect residents.
• National polls show President Lula holding a roughly nine‑point lead over Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro while a separate São Paulo survey finds Flávio leading there, underlining a split between national and regional voting dynamics.
• Convention‑season moves are producing last‑minute ticket changes and disputes: Eduardo Bolsonaro withdrew as a Senate suplente, Rogéria Bolsonaro will run for the Chamber, and the União‑PP federation’s Ceará split is headed to the electoral court.
• Right‑of‑center presidential contenders are centering hardline security plans—proposals include a remote maximum‑security “superpresídio,” treating facções as national security threats and broader asset confiscation—raising the prospect of federalizing responses to organized crime and changing how campaigns court voters worried about violence.