Crime organizado no Rio de Janeiro: entre a Segurança Nacional e a Segurança Humana

Abstract

The State of Rio de Janeiro, the third most populous in Brazil, plays a prominent role in the nation’s culture and economy. However, in recent decades, it has also become known for the expansion and consolidation of criminal organizations operating under forms of criminal governance. This scenario has directly affected public security, social peace, and the very legitimacy of the State, especially in vulnerable areas. The main criminal organizations operating in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Comando Vermelho, Terceiro Comando, and the militias, exert armed territorial control, engage in economic exploitation, and impose their own rules on communities, often accompanied by serious human rights violations. State responses have not always proven adequate or effective, frequently reproducing cycles of violence and deepening mistrust between communities and security forces. The research developed in this dissertation sought to understand the interactions between organized crime, public security, national security, and human rights, using Rio de Janeiro as a case study. It analyzed the dynamics of criminal factions and militias, as well as the protection of human rights in the face of state abuses and omissions. The study proposes expanding the traditional public security approach by incorporating the framework of Human Security, placing the protection of life, dignity, and fundamental rights at the center of state policies. The conclusion points to the need for integrated strategies that combine qualified police action, structural public policies, institutional strengthening, and effective mechanisms for social participation, in order to reduce the power of criminal governance and promote sustainable social pacification.