Rio de Janeiro Lawmakers Approve Controversial Police Bonus for Killing Criminals

Lawmakers in Rio de Janeiro have approved a controversial measure restoring a "wild west bonus" that pays police officers between 10% and 150% extra salary for capturing high-caliber weapons or "neutralizing criminals," a policy reminiscent of the mid-1990s that led to a surge in extrajudicial killings. Supporters, including allies of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, argue that the bonus incentivizes decisive action against heavily armed drug gangs in the city's favelas and point to a recent decline in police operation fatalities as evidence of its effectiveness. However, human rights activists, legal experts, and community leaders warn that the bonus encourages state violence, risks widespread police abuse, undermines due process, and could lead to a massacre of marginalized populations. Critics also caution that the measure may erode trust between residents and law enforcement, making crime reporting less likely, and strain Rio's fragile fiscal budget by diverting funds from social programs. The law now awaits approval or veto by Rio's rightwing governor Cláudio Castro, another Bolsonaro ally, amid demands for strict oversight and clear operational guidelines to prevent abuse. The renewed policy highlights deep divisions over how best to address crime and public safety in Rio amid ongoing violence and social inequality.