Rio vows to revitalize two crime-racked slums

RIO DE JANEIRO: The governor of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state announced plans on Saturday for massive investments aimed at revitalizing two long crime-infested slum districts.

The announcement came just three days after 1,300 police swept through the Jacarezinho and Muzema favelas in a "reconquering" operation that authorities said aimed to wrest control back from organized crime groups.

Governor Claudio Castro told reporters the state would spend 500 million real (about $90 million) over coming weeks to attack social problems in the two districts after decades of governmental neglect. "It’s a program to reconquer the territory and return it to its rightful owners: the people of these favelas," Castro said.

He promised efforts both to improve sewage in the two favelas and to establish social and educational programs aimed primarily at young people and families.

Castro told reporters that work on other favelas would come only after the revitalization effort in Jacarezinho and Muzema is "functioning fully."