RIO DE JANEIRO — Authorities in Rio de Janeiro state said Thursday that security is being beefed up as the world-famous Carnival bash begins, following a wave of violence caused by rival drug trafficking gangs. Last year Rio used almost 12,000 policemen during Carnival, but it also counted on the help of 9,000 members of the country’s armed forces. “This is the biggest increase Rio Carnival has seen in the number of policemen on the streets, he said. “It is not easy to face what we face with an economy crisis like this in Rio,” the governor said. According to Rio da Paz, a group that works to reduce violence, 44 children have been killed by stray bullets in Rio de Janeiro since 2007.

Source: National Post February 08, 2018 20:03 UTC