Brazil’s military will bolster Rio security for the G20 conference, according to a security official

Rio de Janeiro’s state secretary for security announced Tuesday that the country’s military will be utilized to bolster security during the Group of 20 major economies meeting there next month.

In situations where the regular security forces are unable to manage the situation, the president of Brazil may temporarily send the military to a particular area to patrol the streets in the capacity of police.

The Guarantee of Law and Order (GLO) policy has been utilized in the past to strengthen security for various international events that Brazil has hosted, including the 2012 Rio +20 United Nations meeting, the 2014 World Cup, and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

“This law will certainly be used,” Victor Santos, the secretary for security in the state of Rio de Janeiro, told reporters Tuesday in response to a question concerning the G20 heads of state summit. “The host country is responsible for ensuring the safety of those who come,” he stated.

Leaders confirmed they will attend the G20 conference in Rio de Janeiro from November 18–19, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden.

The military would be stationed in Rio de Janeiro, not the entire state, according to Santos.

Requests for reaction on the statements made by the secretary of Rio de Janeiro were not immediately answered by Brazil’s military ministry or the country’s presidential office.

Rio de Janeiro has seen a number of violent incidents in recent weeks, with several hijackers using dozens of public buses to blockade streets and prevent police from entering after releasing the passengers.