MANAUS, AMAZONAS, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 Murder took place on Magalhães Barata Street in the Betânia neighborhood in the southern zone of the city. This street forms an imaginary boundary with a favela controlled by a gang. The victim attempted to cross this boundary without the proper permission issued by the gang. He was confronted by a guard who was monitoring the favela’s entrance. When he did not respond to the guard’s warnings, he was shot.
In Brazilian favelas controlled by gangs, a system of lookouts is commonly in place. They are called “olheiros” (observers) or “soldados” (soldiers). These positions are usually the entry-level roles for young boys in the gang, tasked with protecting the favela’s boundaries from unauthorized entry, monitoring suspicious activities inside, and reporting any police presence to their leaders.
