Rio’s Favela Wars

Brazil’s favelas are considered extremely dangerous, making them one of the world’s most deadly places to grow up. As a result of poverty and a lack of government and police control, many young men here resort to drug dealing and gang crime under the control of the drug cartels.

In other neighbourhoods, heavily armed criminal militia groups control day-to-day life with an iron grip, extorting residents – fail to pay or cross them, and the consequences can be deadly.

Ashley meets young men living in some of Rio’s most notorious favelas to find out what it’s like to live here and what forces them to join gangs to survive. He will learn what it takes to become a lookout, foot soldier and drug dealer in a world where death could become a reality at any moment.

And he’ll come face to face with a gun-toting militia boss to uncover how these men rule the favelas through fear and intimidation.