Security in rio

[Johnatan41]

I would like to warn all users about security in rio. Take all precautions recommended previously on the website. Rio is becoming very dangerous city. This does not mean you risk being attacked at every street corner but take extra care. 

[SolaceSoul]

1 hour ago, Johnatan41 said:

I would like to warn all users about security in rio. Take all precautions recommended previously on the website. Rio is becoming very dangerous city. This does not mean you risk being attacked at every street corner but take extra care. 

Can you share a specific incident that occurred recently, either to you or to someone you know, and where?

This post is too vague.

[Johnatan41]

I have been personally agressed at the border of a favela. But it is a place where in principle one should not go (I have had the bad idea to want to go to a concert in a samba school in the north of rio which is dangerous). I discussed this with many brasilians who told me rio is becoming more and more dangerous and agressions may take place everywhere even in the good neigboorhooods. I think that following ALL tomcal recommandations is a absolute necessity to avoid any problem. The bad political situation and the economic problems also explain why the police is of no help if you have problems. Again I do not advise against going there but people have to know that the place is nice without risks. 

[Latbear4blk]

I would like to warn all users about security in the United States. It is getting worse.

[Guest mrb43]

This past February makes my 6th trip to Brasil.

At no time have I ever felt that a lack of security was a problem.

If you are drunk, at 3AM, on the beach wearing a Rolex - you will be robbed.

Guaranteed.

I get the impression that some people like to fan the flames of drama and hysteria.

Keep your eyes open, dress down, don't do obviously stupid things.

Oh, and stay away from the favelas.

Then you'll be safe in Brasil

[Tomcal]

i agree , i have been going to Brazi 4 or 5 times a year for 17 years and have never had a problem! but i stick to the areas that are populated at night, seldom go alone, I Never go to a favela!  and i always make sure at least 3 guys are sleeping over! :-)

[Badboy81]

10 hours ago, Johnatan41 said:

I would like to warn all users about security in rio. Take all precautions recommended previously on the website. Rio is becoming very dangerous city. This does not mean you risk being attacked at every street corner but take extra care. 

Rio has been a dangerous city if you look like an easy target, IE, a dumb tourist walking around with a camera around your neck or a huge bulging wallet OR maybe venturing off to areas that arent tourist friendly and not speaking the language...

I also make sure I dont dumb things like ago into favelas by myself or travel outside of unknown areas....Although I did go to Villa Mimosa by myself

This post has been done several times...

Use your best judgement guys...Think with your big brain and not the little one....

[Johnatan41]

I also think if you take care you should not in principle have problems. I also think tomcal is right in saying always better not to be alone which increases risk. If you discuss with Brasilians although many consider rio to be a highly dangerous city. And all the problems in favelas are not solved at all narcotrafic increases so the source of the insecurity problems will remain. 

[Badboy81]

On 5/11/2018 at 4:47 AM, Johnatan41 said:

I also think tomcal is right in saying always better not to be alone which increases risk

I never travel in large groups and tend to be by myself or maybe one other person when Im hoeing in Rio...

Tomcals choice on a large entourage is not what is keeping him safe, its the fact he doesn't do dumb shit like solicit ANY hot boy that he sees or go to dangerous areas that he heard has hot guys because he's horny...

[Lucky]

1 hour ago, Badboy81 said:

I never travel in large groups and tend to be by myself or maybe one other person when Im hoeing in Rio...

Tomcals choice on a large entourage is not what is keeping him safe, its the fact he doesn't do dumb shit like solicit ANY hot boy that he sees or go to dangerous areas that he heard has hot guys because he's horny...

 You really do think we are all pretty stupid.

[asdsrfr]

I have been to Brazil well over a dozen times and never had a problem. I am definitely one of those people who has told all my friends that the dangers are overblown--don't go looking for trouble and you won't find any and so on. That view changed when I was there sat Carnival this year(which admittedly is a higher crime time of year). Two friends I was traveling with were walking together at 10pm in Ipanema near the General Osario subway station and jumped from behind by two guys who put them into chokeholds and tried to rob them(they had not been drinking at all). They are both strong guys and got away but that changed my view of Rio a bit--especially the "safe areas". 

 

What seems to have changed for me is as the OP hinted the locals who used to tell me how safe Rio is are now telling me how dangerous it is. I think they really have a sense that the security situation has gotten worse for the everyday resident.

 

That being said. I will continue to visit Rio and love it. I will always follow common sense precautions and never leave the apartment with more than I can afford to lose--and most of all never resist if anyone tries to rob me.

[mvan1]

Not only the example you gave, what about this:

http://affinitymagazine.us/2018/02/17/brazil-army-to-take-control-of-rio-security/

[sanddunes]

Nothing has ever happened to me in Brazil,  (knock on wood) but an American friend of mine got robbed at gunpoint near “The Week” one night, also during Carnival.

I have also seen a necklace snatching by a guy on a bike in Copacabana.

Bad shit can happen anywhere though.  I got robbed at knifepoint when I was 18 in Miami Beach, with a guy who threatened to cut my face into pieces.

It’s good to be cautious no matter where you are in the world, and even more so if you can easily be picked out as a tourist/foreigner/gringo.

[mvan1]

 

 

It is the luck of the draw - mostly - 

[Johnatan41]

Thanks for very interresting feedbacks. I was also of the opinion that rio was safe in the places such as ipanema and copa but reports seem to inform us it is not completely the case nowadays. As asfrs point out I was suprised how many people who know very well rio (inhabitants or brasilians) told me about insecure it has become. It is clear that you will not be attacked at every corner of the city but extracare should be observed. For me carnival is a no go  uunder these circomstances

[sanddunes]

A gunman's attempted robbery on young children and families waiting outside a school in Sao Paulo was foiled by a mother who turned out to be an off-duty armed policewoman 

Read full article

[axiom2001]

18 hours ago, sanddunes said:

Bad shit can happen anywhere though.  

It’s good to be cautious no matter where you are in the world, and even more so if you can easily be picked out as a tourist/foreigner/gringo.

Your last 2 points are the comments I made to folks back here in CA who were forever telling me how dangerous Rio de janeiro was/is.  I diffused this belief by stating what I quoted from your post! 

 

[Blackoch]

I'm from DC.

Baltimore, the next town to us has more than double the murder rate if medellin,  rio, and all those "scary" Latin American cities (almost 10× that of SP)... sadly.

Once you've hung out in the south side of Chicago like I have, very little can scare you. Maybe just being dropped in the middle of a flavela at night. That'll do. 

[Badboy81]

18 hours ago, Blackoch said:

Maybe just being dropped in the middle of a flavela at night.

I hung out in a few favelas at night and had NO issues...

Being able to pass as a Carioca and speaking some Portuguese definitely helped...

People are a lot like dogs and can smell fear and when you are standing out in a bad way, people can sense that...

Been to DC, B More and Chicago and know where not to be OR who to be with in those places I shouldn't be....

[Johnatan41]

Violence is everywhere unfortunately. They are different favelas and some are less dangerous (the one where I ended up was involved in narcotrafic). I would advise anybody not to go (even most cariocas do not go, evdn once in their life)