Rio Police Operation: 'Lethal' for Favelas, 'Normal' for US Aid
Al Jazeera reports on a police operation in Rio's favelas leaving dozens dead, calling it 'the most lethal police action in the history of the state.' A tragic, familiar headline. What's often buried is the historical blueprint for such actions, often exported from 'developed' nations that fund militarized police forces worldwide. The US, for instance, has a long history of exporting 'security
assistance' and police training to Latin American countries, often leading to increased state violence against marginalized communities. While the focus is on local police, the deeper question is: who benefits from these 'drug wars' that consistently target the poor and vulnerable? One might wonder how much of the weaponry and tactics involved trace back to 'aid' packages, often couched in terms
of fighting crime, but effectively maintaining social control. This 'unprecedented' lethality has plenty of historical precedent, conveniently ignored when international bodies hand out aid rather than accountability.