A favela is informal urban settlements located in South America, prevalent throughout urban cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Sau Paulo. They are characterized by an absence of government oversight, with criminal organizations typically acting as ad-hoc law enforcement.
The Comando Vermelho is the ruling criminal organization within Rio de Janeiro's largest favela, Rochina. In an attempt to crack down on gang presence within Brazil’s informal urban settlements, current President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has engaged in several military raids of the neighborhood.