BRASILIA — A wave of violence has plunged Rio de Janeiro into chaos as deadly clashes between Brazilian security forces and powerful drug cartels left at least 60 people dead, including civilians. The large-scale confrontation, one of the deadliest in recent years, erupted after gangs declared a citywide lockdown, paralyzing the country’s most iconic metropolis.

Authorities confirmed that more than 2,500 security personnel were deployed across multiple neighborhoods after armed criminal groups set vehicles ablaze, blocked major roads, and trapped residents in their homes. The violence began in the early hours and quickly escalated as heavily armed gangs launched coordinated attacks on police patrols and public infrastructure.

Video circulating online shows streets engulfed in smoke, buses on fire, and civilians fleeing as gunfire echoed through residential areas. Local hospitals have been overwhelmed by casualties, and several schools and businesses were forced to close amid the lockdown.

Brazilian officials described the situation as “an organized act of terror” by rival criminal factions attempting to assert dominance over key territories. The federal government has ordered the National Public Security Force to support Rio’s local police and restore order. “We will not allow drug gangs to control our cities,” said one official, vowing decisive action against the cartels responsible.

Security analysts say the attacks demonstrate the growing sophistication and coordination of Brazil’s urban gangs, some of which maintain ties to international narcotics networks. The violence underscores the country’s broader struggle with organized crime, corruption, and the limits of local policing power in high-density areas like Rio’s favelas.

As night fell, police continued sweeping operations through the city’s northern zones, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise as search and recovery efforts progress. Residents remain under curfew-like conditions, with many describing the atmosphere as “a war zone.”

The violence comes as Brazil’s leadership faces mounting pressure to restore stability and rebuild public trust in its law enforcement institutions—an urgent task following a day of unprecedented urban unrest.