The visitors were stranded for nearly two hours at the top of Morro Dois Irmãos (the Two Brothers Mountain) while continuous gunfire could be heard from the Vidigal favela. They were eventually allowed to leave on police orders, with officers in constant contact with the tour guides throughout.

The spot is a popular destination, with thousands of tourists passing through that particular favela each week to reach the 533-metre summit and enjoy views of the Leblon and Ipanema beaches.

“There were more than 200 people that morning, 70% of them foreign tourists,” said Renan Monteiro, a representative of the tour company that had organized the excursion, speaking to AFP.

He explained that the Vidigal favela is generally considered peaceful and suitable for tourism, but “every time there’s a police operation, the images travel around the world and that has an impact” on visitor numbers.

Gunfire and Moments of Panic

Police reported that drug gang members opened fire on security forces operating in the area, “endangering residents and visitors.”

“It was really terrifying! We were caught in a crossfire, a (police) helicopter was flying right above us. Some people fainted,” described Débora Morais, a 28-year-old visitor from São Paulo, speaking to AFP.

Ariane Sabbaio Moura, who had been staying with her daughter in Vidigal since Saturday, said she woke up at 5:30 in the morning when she heard gunshots and helicopters. “We’re leaving with a heavy heart, because we wanted to stay longer and enjoy it, but now it’s better to go,” said the 41-year-old woman, also from São Paulo.

No Injuries — Three Arrests

No injuries were reported during the clashes, and according to police, three suspects were arrested.

The incident occurred approximately six months after the deadliest police operation in Brazilian favelas, on October 28th, which had left more than 120 people dead in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro.