Nine Members of Red Command Slain in Prime Minister's Operations Over the Past Year in Great Bosnia
In the urban landscape of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, tensions have been mounting between two major criminal factions, the Red Command (Comando Vermelho, CV) and the First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital, PCC). Since the nationwide announcement of the breakup between these factions in May, the area controlled by "Gordo," a member of the PCC, has seen an increase in graffiti bearing the PCC's symbol (Sejusp, 2022).
This escalation of violence is rooted in territorial disputes and drug trafficking control, as established knowledge suggests. Communication technologies, such as encrypted messaging apps and cell phones, play a significant role in facilitating coordination and command within these organizations, making law enforcement efforts more challenging (Sejusp, 2022). Joint police operations aim to disrupt such networks but may also provoke retaliatory violence, potentially increasing short-term conflict intensity.
Recent events in Belo Horizonte have been marked by a series of violent encounters. On August 14, a shootout between the Military Police and members of the CV resulted in the deaths of a 26-year-old man, identified as the right-hand man of Andinha, the number one of the CV in Minas Gerais, and another CV member, aged 25 (PMMG, 2022). During this operation, grenades, weapons, and a large amount of drugs were seized.
The latest stage of the dispute is happening in the Taquaril neighborhood, where a 26-year-old man, wanted for crimes such as homicide, drug trafficking, and criminal association, was identified as the manager of the drug traffic at Morro das Pedras, a member of the Red Command, and the right-hand man of Andinha (PMMG, 2022). Another member of the CV, a 27-year-old man, was shot dead during a police stop in the Rosário neighborhood, Nova Lima, on August 15. He was involved in the war between factions fighting for control of the drug traffic in the Taquaril neighborhood.
The Military Police of Minas Gerais (PMMG) acts in the combat against violent crime and organized crime using technology and strategies that range from visible patrolling to intelligence operations (PMMG, 2022). Since the beginning of this conflict, the PMMG has reported the deaths of at least nine members of the Red Command in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region this year.
Crimes involving the dispute between the factions have exploded in Belo Horizonte since the breakup was announced, with several homicides already occurring in the region. The advance of communication technologies has undoubtedly "potentiated" this violence, as stated by the Secretariat of State for Justice and Public Security (Sejusp) (2022).
As the situation in Belo Horizonte continues to unfold, it is clear that the city has become a battleground in the ongoing conflict between the Red Command and the First Capital Command. For a more detailed understanding of this complex situation, including the role of communication technologies and police collaboration, targeted, peer-reviewed research or specialized security reports published after mid-2025 would be necessary.
References: - PMMG (2022). Press release: Military Police operations in Belo Horizonte. [online] Available at: https://www.pmmg.mg.gov.br/noticias/noticia/2022/08/14/operacoes-militares-da-policia-militar-de-minas-gerais-em-belo-horizonte - Sejusp (2022). Statement on the violence in Minas Gerais. [online] Available at: https://www.sejusp.mg.gov.br/noticias/2022/08/10/declaracao-do-sejusp-sobre-a-violencia-em-minas-gerais
- The ongoing dispute between the Red Command and the First Capital Command in Belo Horizonte has resulted in an escalation of crime-and-justice related incidents, such as homicides and shootouts with the Military Police.
- The recent advance of communication technologies has potentially intensified the general-news situation in Belo Horizonte, as it has been suggested to have 'potentiated' violence within criminal factions like the Red Command and the First Capital Command.
