RIO DE JANEIRO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Michel Temer announced on Monday that the government will allocate between 600 and 800 million reals (182 million to 243 million U.S. dollars) to finance federal intervention in Rio de Janeiro state's public security sector.
The Brazilian government has decided to put Rio de Janeiro state under a public security federal intervention, which means the federal government takes over the entire public security sector, which is usually in charge of the state administration.
According to Army General Walter Braga Netto, the total amount needed to carry out the intervention is 3.1 billion reals (945 million dollars), almost four times the amount the federal administration is willing to grant.
The shortage of resources and planning for the intervention is a big source of criticism from the opposition. Congressman Alessandro Molon called the intervention an improvised move.
Rio has been facing problems in the public security sector for the past few years. The security situation in the state continues to be precarious. The police are short-staffed and suffer from chronic corruption.
In 2017, 134 policemen were killed in the state, and 14 were killed by mid-February in 2018.
