Discover the shocking reality of Brazil’s crime hotspots in 2022, where 166 towns bear the brunt of 46,400 homicides, with just 3% of municipalities accounting for half of these violent acts. This data comes from the annual Violence Atlas by the Institute for Applied Economic Research and the Brazilian Forum on Public Security.
Surprisingly, cities like Santo Antônio de Jesus, Jequié, and Camaçari in Bahia stand out as the five worst affected, highlighting the state’s alarming contribution to Brazil’s negative reputation.
According to Samira Bueno, a key coordinator of the Atlas, these cities are crucial nodes in drug trafficking routes, shaping the country’s homicide rates significantly.
While homicides have slightly spread to more municipalities since 2017, targeted policies are urgently needed to combat this surge in violence. The criminal landscape in Brazil has evolved dramatically, expanding from major cities to remote areas and necessitating dynamic strategies to dismantle criminal networks effectively.