The homicide rate in Rio de Janeiro climbed by 20 percent in 2016 from the previous year, as violence soared in the Brazilian metropolis amid rising unemployment and sharp cuts in public security budgets as the country struggles through a recession. According to state security statistics released on Wednesday, 5,033 people were murdered in Rio during the year, up from 4,200 in 2015. Meanwhile, residents of central Rio continue to worry about growing violence in the many slums that dot the city. As tensions with suspected criminals increased, the number of civilian deaths resulting from conflicts with police last year rose 42 percent to 920. (This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Source: dna February 01, 2017 20:15 UTC