Brazil Probes Threat to COP30 Host City’s Power Grid After Deadly Rio Raid
Voice of Malaysia News
BRASILIA, Nov 8: Brazilian authorities are investigating a reported threat to a key power substation in Belém, the Amazonian city set to host the upcoming United Nations COP30 climate summit, amid concerns the threat may be linked to the Comando Vermelho gang targeted in a deadly police raid last week.
According to an official document seen by Reuters, Brazil’s Mines and Energy Ministry was alerted on October 30, two days after the police operation in Rio de Janeiro that left 121 people dead. Energy company Verene Energia, which manages the Belém–Marituba substation, reported that a caller claiming to be a member of the Comando Vermelho had issued threats demanding an immediate halt to operations.
The individual reportedly ordered the “suspension of all work” and demanded that the substation cease operations daily from 3 p.m. local time.
“This incident demonstrates an imminent and active risk not only to the safety of personnel and property but also to the continuity of an essential public service, further aggravated by the proximity of COP30,” Verene Energia said in a letter to the ministry.
The company has yet to issue an official public comment.
The Justice Ministry confirmed that it had “immediately initiated an investigation” and referred the case to federal authorities. Brazil’s federal police also launched an inquiry on Tuesday to determine whether the threat represents an isolated act or a coordinated move by an organized criminal network.
Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil’s oldest and most powerful criminal organizations, was originally formed in Rio de Janeiro’s prisons nearly five decades ago. It has since expanded its operations across multiple states, including those in the Amazon region, exploiting new drug and arms trafficking routes.
Security measures have been heightened around Belém’s energy infrastructure as authorities seek to prevent potential disruptions ahead of COP30, where world leaders are expected to gather to discuss global climate action in the heart of the Amazon.