IN MARCH, ARMY TROOPS OCCUPIED SLUMS IN RIO DE JANEIRO IN A BLITZ AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKERS -- THE SCALE OF THE SAO PAULO GANG OFFENSIVE WAS UNPRECEDENTED. LEMBO HAD CANDID WORDS FOR BRAZIL'S UPPER CLASSES, SAYING THE CRIME PROBLEM WAS ROOTED IN THE DESPERATE POVERTY AND WIDE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR IN THE NATION OF 185 MILLION PEOPLE. "WE HAVE A WHITE MINORITY THAT IS VERY PERVERSE. THE BOURGEOISIE WILL HAVE TO OPEN THEIR POCKETS TO LIFT THE MISERY SO THERE ARE MORE JOBS, MORE EDUCATION," HE SAID. WHILE LEFTIST POLITICIANS AND HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE LONG LINKED CRIME TO DEPRIVATION, LEMBO'S COMMENTS WERE NOTABLE AS HE IS MEMBER OF THE RIGHT-WING LIBERAL FRONT PARTY AND COMES FROM A BANKING BACKGROUND. MANY OF BRAZIL'S UPPER CLASSES ENDORSE REPRESSIVE POLICE TACTICS AND SHOW LITTLE CONCERN FOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS. "BRAZIL IS DISINTEGRATING AND LOSING ITS CIVIC VALUES," LEMBO SAID. "BRAZIL ONLY BELIEVES IN THE (NATIONAL SOCCER) TEAM SHIRT, WHICH IS A SYMBOL OF VICTORY." POLICE KEPT UP SWEEPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY ON THURSDAY AND SPORADIC INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED OVERNIGHT. SIX SUSPECTED GANGSTERS WERE KILLED IN WHAT SECURITY OFFICIALS SAID WERE SHOOT-OUTS ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT CERTAIN IF THE VICTIMS WERE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE PCC CAMPAIGN. EIGHT BUSES WERE BURNED, PROMPTING TWO BUS COMPANIES TO SUSPEND NIGHT SERVICES. A JUDGE MEANWHILE ORDERED PCC CHIEF MARCOS CAMACHO, NICKNAMED MARCOLA, BE HELD FOR 90 DAYS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AT THE TOP-SECURITY PRESIDENTE BERNARDES PENITENTIARY TO PREVENT HIM FROM ISSUING MORE ORDERS TO HIS MEN. MARCOLA IS REPORTED TO HAVE ORCHESTRATED THE WAR USING A SMUGGLED CELL PHONE.
