Hundreds of police officers and troops invaded the Mangueira favela, backed by helicopters and several armoured vehicles.

The operation was the final link in a "security perimeter" authorities have set up around the Maracana Stadium, which is due to play host to the World Cup final and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics.

Rio State public security director Jose Beltrame said in a televised news conference that police had taken control of the slum without exchange of gunfire after the drug guns had fled in advance of the operation. 

Seventeen other shantytowns have already been pacified by security forces taking over the city's poor communities.

But Mangueira, which is home to an estimated one million people, is the most symbolic favela so far to be occupied by the so-called "pacification forces".


Famed for producing legendary samba artists such as Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho and Carlos Cachaça, Mangueira is also home to the city's best-known samba school, the Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Mangueira.

The peaceful operation is in stark contrast to what happened in Rio lat November, when at least 35 people died in violence set off after drug gangs lashed out at the increased police presence in the crime-ridden slums.

That unrest led to a massive sweep of the Alemao favela complex that involved about 2,600 police and soldiers.

Today's operation, which culminated with the raising of a Brazilian flag, was conducted by about 750 military police personnel.

Authorities announced that they'd seized 32 vehicles and 300 packs of marijuana.

To date, more than 20 of Rio's 1,000 slums have been cleared of criminal gangs.

It is estimated that around 20 per cent of Rio's six million inhabitants live in favelas.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2011: Top UN official to visit Rio to inspect 2016 Olympic preparations
April 2011: Amnesty International warn human rights could be at risk in Rio 2016 build-up
March 2010: Nuzman believes Olympic Games will transform Rio
January 2010: Rio opens emergency response centre to help keep Olympics safe
December 2010: Wikileaks document expose US fears for Rio 2016 Olympics