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Brazilian president orders thousands of soldiers to curb violence in Rio de Janeiro

Navy soldiers in an armoured vehicle near the Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Photo: AP/Silvia Izquierdo

Navy soldiers in an armoured vehicle near the Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Photo: AP/Silvia Izquierdo

Brazilian President Michel Temer has ordered 8500 troops to Rio de Janeiro in an attempt to curb a surge in violence in the coastal city.

The troops, who will be deployed until the end of the year, are to be assisted by an extra 1500 police, members of the national guard and other security personnel.

In the first half of the year, more than 2700 people were murdered in Rio de Janeiro, a 10.2 per cent increase in comparison to the same period last year, according to official figures.

Ninety-one police officers have also been killed in Rio since January.
Brazil’s Defence Minister Raul Jungmann said on Friday the city was being hit by a “crime cancer,” which was spreading.

“We have 800 favelas which are all existing in a state of emergency,” he said.

Justice Minister Torquato Jardim claims an increasing number of firearms belonging to Colombian FARC guerilla fighters have started to show up in the Brazilian city.

Those weapons were meant to be handed in to the United Nations as part of a peace pact with the Colombian government.

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