UPP to invade Rocinha and Vidigal

[ihpguy]

Just got this e-mail while I was at the demonstrations in Centro. Fun times! Last week the invasion of Mangueira by the BOPE and follow-on control by the UPP seemed to go well without too much noise. I went by the favela on Monday when I went to get my dog food. No traffic controls. No armed police. Just lots of construction on the Maracana. of course, they are behind the deadline imposed by FIFA. We can only hope it will not be more of what is happening in Complexo Do Alemao.

EMERGENCY MESSAGE FOR U.S. CITIZENS-PACIFICATION OPERATIONS IN ROCINHA

AND VIDIGAL FAVELAS

U.S. Consulate, Rio de Janeiro-November 10, 2011

According to media reports and other open sources, Brazilian police and

military authorities are preparing to enter and assume control of the

Rocinha and Vidigal Favelas in the Zona Sul of Rio de Janeiro. Those

operations are expected to take place during the weekend of November

12-13, 2011.

U.S. citizens and their dependants are strongly advised to avoid all

areas in and around Rocinha and Vidigal, including but not limited to

travel on the Estrada de Gavea in the vicinity of Rocinha, and Avenida

Niemeyer in the vicinity of Vidigal, until further notice. Persons

travelling on Estrada de Gavea and Avenida Niemeyer face the risk of

delays and road closures due to the movement of police and military

vehicles in and out of the affected favelas. American citizens should

remain alert to possible violence occurring in reaction to the police

operations.

The Regional Security Officer of the Consulate in Rio continues to

advise U.S. citizens not to enter any of the city's unpacified favelas.

U.S Government personnel are prohibited by the policy of the U.S.

Embassy in Brasilia from entering any unpacified favela without the

Consent of the Regional Security Officer.

U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Brazil are urged to enroll in

the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

<https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/> (STEP) in order to

receive the most up-to-date security information. By enrolling, U.S.

citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of

emergency. U.S. citizens without Internet access may enroll directly

with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Consulate General in Rio

is located at Avenida Presidente Wilson, 147 and can be reached at phone

number 21-3823-2000, emergency after-hours phone number 21-3823-2029,

American Citizen Services fax number 21-3823-2093, and e-mail

acsrio@state.gov <mailto:acsrio@state.gov> . Travelers may also consult

the website of the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro

<http://riodejaneiro.usconsulate.gov/> for more information.

U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State's Country

Specific Information for Brazil

<http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1072.html> which is

located on the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs

website <http://www.travel.state.gov/> . Travelers may obtain

up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747

toll-free in the United States and Canada, or on a regular toll line at

1-202-501-4444 from other countries. Stay up to date by bookmarking our

Bureau of Consular Affairs website <http://travel.state.gov/> which

contains current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. Follow us on

Twitter <http://twitter.com/#!/travelgov> and the Bureau of Consular

Affairs page on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/travelgov> , and

download our Smart Traveler iPhone App

<http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smart-traveler/id442693988?mt=8> to

have travel information at your fingertips.