Peace in the favelas
We investigate the dramatic pacification of Rio’s favelas in anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s president and the first woman to hold the post, has vowed to continue with the poverty reducing programme of her predecessor, President Lula.
One of his administration’s most high profile policies was aimed at sorting out the problems of the shantytowns – or favelas – in and around Rio de Janeiro.
For decades the favelas have been a deadly battleground, where thousands died in the turf wars of rival gangsters and drug lords.
But in anticipation of the football World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Summer Olympics, the government launched a new initiative.
Since then the Police Pacifying Units (UPP), have moved into 12 favelas, freeing 150,000 people from the control of the gangs and bringing a new calm to embattled neighbourhoods.
But as filmmakers Dom Rotheroe and Alfonso Daniels found out – while most residents in the UPP-controlled favelas welcome the fragile peace others fear it may not last.