RIO DE JANEIRO (BDCi) – Celebrities and police officers gathered with some 1,500 residents in Rio for a race through the Alemao favela to celebrate peace.
The Challenge for Peace route retraces the one used by drug traffickers in November 2010 to escape from police.
Some former drug gang members were even present to participate in the 5K run.
Valerio de Souza, the race’s winner, plans to use his winnings of about $2,500 to help his family.
The race was held for the third time in the Complexo do Alemao, a vast area of interconnecting slums.
Rio authorities launched a “pacification” program in 2009, with police officers, army troops and tanks moving into the favelas.
Many of the largest Rio slums are under police control now.
By: Diego Díaz Source: BBC Photo: Google 29 May 2012
7:20 p.m. P.D.T.