A Datafolha poll revealed high approval for Rio de Janeiro's most lethal police operation in history, under Governor Cláudio Castro. Folha subscribers express divided opinions, criticizing violence while offering pragmatic support for the actions. The debate underscores the complexities of public security in the state.
The Datafolha poll, published on November 1, 2025, showed that Brazil's most lethal police operation in history boosted approval for Governor Cláudio Castro. According to the data, 57% of Rio residents viewed the action as a success, despite 99 identified deaths, 78 of whom had records for serious crimes, per the Rio Civil Police.
In Folha's Reader's Panel, subscribers reacted to the results. Rodrigo Jofré de Camargo from São Paulo criticized: "This demonstrates the total moral bankruptcy of Brazilians. Violence begets violence and solves nothing, only inflames the misguided." He compared security policies in São Paulo and Rio, citing figures like Ricardo Nunes, Fernando Haddad, and Tarcísio de Freitas as symptoms of larger failures.
Jane Medeiros from Rio echoed the criticism: "If this prehistoric 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth' method solved the crime issue, the world would be an ocean of peace." She advocated for social justice to combat crime, highlighting hunger and neglect.
On the other hand, Mario Rogerio Andrade, also from Rio, defended the operations pragmatically: "Understand the carioca mindset: better to dry ice than drown. [...] Our support for operations is not ideological; it's pragmatic." He suggested federal actions against factions' finances, drug and arms inflows, alongside recurrent police operations.
Maria Antonia di Felippo from Santo André (SP) concluded: "Brazil shows its face. The country is not civilized." These voices reflect the polarized debate on security in Rio de Janeiro.