Tourists stranded on Rio hilltop as police operation triggers gunfire

Around 200 tourists were briefly stranded at the summit of Morro Dois Irmãos in Rio de Janeiro after a police operation in the nearby Vidigal favela led to an exchange of gunfire.

The incident occurred as officers from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Bahia and Rio’s Civil Police launched an operation targeting suspected members of the Comando Vermelho, believed to be hiding in the area, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Authorities blocked the main access route to the popular hiking trail, which offers panoramic views over Ipanema Beach, leaving visitors unable to descend while gunfire was heard nearby.

Videos circulating on social media showed tourists sitting on the ground at the hilltop as a police helicopter flew overhead and shots echoed in the distance.

According to reports, the group was able to leave the area after approximately 30 minutes once conditions stabilized.

Local guide Rita Oliveiro said that tour guides had been informed in advance about the operation. Other guides told Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo that they had coordinated with police units active in Vidigal.

Criminal groups such as Comando Vermelho exert significant control in parts of Rio’s favelas, enforcing strict rules and extending their activities beyond drug trafficking to include monopolies over services such as gas distribution, cable television, internet, and transportation.

By Sabina Mammadli