Traficantes Evangélicos: O Complexo de Israel no Rio de Janeiro e Seus Impactos no Crescimento da Intolerância Religiosa no Brasil

Abstract

The article analyzed the phenomenon of “evangelical traffickers” based on the impacts observed in the Israel Complex, a group of favelas located in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, marked by the appropriation of Judeo-Christian religious symbols to establish territorial control. It investigated the rise in episodes of religious intolerance in the outskirts of Rio, with a special focus on the persecution of Afro- Brazilian religions. The bibliographic research method was used, based on academic works and news reports on the phenomenon in the Acari Complex, where it was initially identified. A case study was also conducted in the Israel Complex, addressing its origin, episodes of repression against Afro-Brazilian religious centers and followers, as well as the religious symbols used by traffickers to impose their faith on the community. Legal and doctrinal research enabled an understanding of religious freedom as a fundamental right and an analysis of how Brazilian criminal law characterizes religious intolerance. The study found that the use of religion as a tool of power by criminal factions has serious implications for freedom of worship and highlights the urgent need for public and legal policies aimed at protecting religious diversity.