Militia

This entry is a translation of Milícia.

Militia is an entry that gathers knowledge from studies and research, offering various perspectives to conceptualize and situate the activities of groups operating in Brazil, originally in the state of Rio de Janeiro. These groups have been defined as "paramilitary organizations involving agents directly linked to the state," "death squads," "an integral part of political machines operating in large urban areas,"groups collaborating with drug traffickers, and "criminal groups formed and led by state security agents.

Author: Information reproduced by the Favelas Dictionary Marielle Franco Team. Sources: research conducted by Marcelo Burgos and José Cláudio Souza Alve

About

Militias undoubtedly constitute one of the most serious threats to Brazilian democracy, particularly because their operations are heavily concentrated in marginalized territories, especially in favelas and the outskirts of metropolitan areas. While their presence became more evident in Rio de Janeiro, today, militias are considered a national phenomenon that undermines access to basic freedoms and, most notably, political rights.

What Are Militias? (1)

Marcelo Burgos

The difficulty in defining militias conceptually highlights the complexity of the issue, revealing a constantly evolving phenomenon. Originally, militias were conflated with other urban forms of paramilitary organizations that involved agents directly linked to the state. These groups were often regarded as extensions of former death squads, generally composed of military police members, and served local business owners and merchants.

Over time, however, it became clear that we were facing a new phenomenon. Around the 2000s, in some favelas, a type of organization emerged that, unlike drug trafficking, stood out for establishing a form of military, economic, and political dominance with totalitarian practices. Generally composed of ex-police officers and military firefighters—though often interacting with active members of these forces—militias initially presented themselves as paramilitary groups keeping drug gangs out of their areas of control. They sought symbolic legitimacy by claiming to protect local safety.

With this image, militias gained the explicit or tacit support of local and state authorities, including governors. Over time, these groups amassed economic power, primarily through control over land, gas sales, clandestine transportation, and other lucrative activities in marginalized territories. This economic dominance was soon paired with control over local social life and the manipulation of voting behavior. As a result, militias became an organic part of political machines in large cities and metropolises. Constantly adapting and exploiting new opportunities, these groups have evolved, even merging with the drug traffickers they initially sought to fight. Evidence suggests alliances between these two types of groups.

Furthermore, militias' presence in politics is deeply entrenched in municipal councils and state legislatures, where they actively influence elections. Beyond this, militias are expanding their territories, violently imposing their rule even in lower-middle-class neighborhoods of suburban areas. Efforts to counter this territorial control have been sporadic and inconsistent. An example is the 2008 *CPI das Milícias* report from Rio de Janeiro’s Legislative Assembly, led by then-State Deputy Marcelo Freixo, which proposed critical measures to combat militias. However, after the report’s release, militias resumed their expansion with renewed strength.

More recently, during the federal intervention in Rio de Janeiro’s public security, military operations targeted militias, though many were compromised by leaked information. With their extensive reach, resilience, insidious political influence, violent methods, and entrenched presence in government structures, militias undoubtedly pose one of the gravest threats to Brazilian democracy.

What Are Militias? (2)

José Cláudio Souza Alves

Militias are criminal groups formed and led by state security agents: military police, civil police, firefighters, and municipal guards, often in partnership with civilians. Their goal is to obtain economic, political, social, and cultural gains through the sale of services—such as security for merchants and residents, transportation, waste disposal, and cable TV access—or goods, including land, properties, gas, water, cigarettes, and essential food products. These groups establish control and monopolies over services and goods through armed dominance in favelas, communities, neighborhoods, and cities.

History

Militias trace their origins to the death squads of the 1960s, during Brazil's 1964 corporate-military dictatorship. Later known as extermination groups, they carried out summary executions of alleged “criminals” while charging protection fees in the Baixada Fluminense region. At the time, state agents conducted the killings, business owners financed the schemes, and the dictatorship provided political support, often resulting in judicial acquittals. In the 1980s, following the dictatorship’s end, civilians were recruited into these groups, which continued to be managed by state agents. By the 1990s, successful death squad leaders in the Baixada Fluminense transitioned into municipal and state political roles. During this period, authoritarian leaders began to emerge in urban occupations in the Baixada and Rio's West Zone, laying the groundwork for today’s militia model.

Organized Crime and State Agents

Militias represent the accumulation of organized crime strategies managed by state agents. Their knowledge of local geography, political dynamics, institutions, and laws has been crucial to their rise. Combined with access to state resources and a deep understanding of environmental and property regulations, these factors solidified their dominance.

See also

• Entre Luzes e Sombras: o Rio de Janeiro dos Megaeventos e a militarização da vida na cidade (resenha)
• A expansão das milícias no Rio de Janeiro (pesquisa)