Criminal gangs and militias have expanded their influence in Brazil and are now present in neighborhoods home to about 28.5 million residents, according to a Datafolha survey. The study shows that 19% of the population reports living in areas under the influence of organized crime — an increase of five percentage points from the previous year.
The phenomenon is most common in capitals, large cities, and in the Northeast region. The presence of these organizations affects all income groups and is reported more frequently by Black Brazilians. Among respondents living in dominated territories, 27% say they know of clandestine cemeteries, and 40% report crossing “cracolândias” (open-air drug use zones) in their daily commutes.
Datafolha also noted an increase in illegal practices, such as police officers working in private security and a rise in violent policing tactics by the Military Police.
The research was commissioned by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety. Its director, Renato Sérgio de Lima, stated that the data indicate “an expansion of the gangs’ power to capture territories and markets.”
