In October 2025, a massive police operation targeting the Comando Vermelho criminal syndicate unfolded in Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo do Alemão and Penha favelas. Deploying a record 2,500 local and military officers, the raid was the deadliest police operation in Brazilian history. Of the 122 who were killed, the vast majority were Afro-Brazilians. In the aftermath, authorities failed to deploy forensic teams, forcing the community to bear the physical and emotional weight of carrying their own dead.
2026 Photo Contest - South America - Stories
Those Who Carry the Dead
Photographer
Eduardo Anizelli
Folha de S.Paulo
Camera
Canon EOS R3
Jury comment
This story provides essential documentation of a major breaking news event. Through careful editing, the images convey the magnitude of the incident, including what took place over the course of two days in the mountains, favelas, and the impact on the community, while highlighting police corruption and the indiscriminate use of force. The work stands as a powerful record, emphasizing the importance of bearing witness to ensure that such events are not forgotten nor repeated.