FBOs at Santos Dumont SBRJ SDU

City threat summary

Rio de Janeiro presents an elevated street crime environment, with assaults, armed robbery, theft, and drug-facilitated incidents posing meaningful risks to travelers, particularly in tourist areas and on public transport.

Armed criminal groups operate across multiple parts of the city, and armed confrontations between criminal organizations and security forces occur regularly, with security conditions capable of deteriorating rapidly and without warning.

The U.S. Department of State rates Brazil at Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime and kidnapping as primary risk drivers, while assessing Rio de Janeiro specifically as a moderate-threat environment for political violence; terrorism risk to the city is assessed as low.

Country overview

Brazil remains under a U.S. State Department Level 2 advisory — Exercise Increased Caution — driven by pervasive violent crime and kidnapping risk across urban areas, with the UK FCDO advising against all but essential travel to defined river areas in western Amazonas State.

The country is in an active electoral period, with a presidential runoff between incumbent President Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro scheduled for October 25, 2026, introducing heightened political tension and a non-trivial risk of localized civil unrest.

Organized criminal groups, including the PCC and Comando Vermelho — both newly designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. State Department in mid-2026 — operate extensively and contribute to an elevated baseline threat environment.

Higher-risk locations nearby

• Belém SBBE CRITICAL
• Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade SWVB CRITICAL
• Belo Horizonte SBCF ELEVATED
• Brasília SBBR ELEVATED
• Guarulhos SBGR ELEVATED
• Manaus SBEG ELEVATED
• Recife SBRF ELEVATED
• Rio de Janeiro SBRJ ELEVATED
• Salvador SBSV ELEVATED