# One in three Rio residents live under gang or militia rule

> A survey finds that 5.2 million people in Rio de Janeiro state live in areas controlled by criminal groups, though these areas cover just 1.4% of the state's land.
- Title: One in three Rio residents live under gang or militia rule
- Summary: A survey finds that 5.2 million people in Rio de Janeiro state live in areas controlled by criminal groups, though these areas cover just 1.4% of the state's…
- Keywords: rio de janeiro, organized crime, gangs, militias, public security institute, comando vermelho, terceiro comando puro, amigos dos amigos, brazil, Folha de S.Paulo
- Source: Folha de S.Paulo — https://redir.folha.com.br/redir/online//rss091/*https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/brazil/2026/11/one-in-three-rio-de-janeiro-residents-lives-in-area-with-gang-or-militia-presence-survey-shows.shtml
- Published: 2026-11-12T18:32:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: rio de janeiro, organized crime, gangs, militias, public security institute, comando vermelho, terceiro comando puro, amigos dos amigos, brazil, news, politics
## One-third of Rio lives under criminal control
Around 5.2 million people, nearly one-third of Rio de Janeiro state's population, live in areas where criminal gangs or militias operate. The Public Security Institute released this survey on Wednesday.
## Crime covers tiny area, holds huge population
Organized crime operates across 614.3 square kilometres, just 1.4% of the state's total area. Yet this small territory is home to 32.2% of Rio de Janeiro state's residents.
## Comando Vermelho dominates, followed by militias
The Comando Vermelho gang operates in 779 locations with around 3 million residents. Militias control 300 areas with 917,000 people. Terceiro Comando Puro operates in 274 areas with around 915,000 inhabitants.
## Key takeaway

Nearly one-third of Rio de Janeiro state's population lives in areas where criminal gangs or militias operate, according to a Public Security Institute survey released Wednesday.