In the summer of 1993 Brazil was shocked by two horrific massacres carried out by military police in Rio de Janeiro: the killing of seven street children and one young adult outside the Candelaria church in July; and the killing of 21 residents of the favela (shanty town) of Vigario Geral in August. Despite the trial and conviction of three military policemen there remains serious concern at the manner of the investigations and that despite the public outcry, the government continues to tolerate an increasing number of killings of civilians by military police.
