Rio's Elite Special Forces Police Unit Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiai, or BOPE, patrol the Parque Alegria favela a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) at the Caju favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 3, 2013. The elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood of 13 communities in Caju favela complex early Sunday in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades.

Catholics honor Sao Sebastiao who is the city's patron saint, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, Jan 22, 2013. Sao Sebastiao, who represents protection, was a Roman Guard soldier who refused to serve the Emperor Diocletian, and was sentenced to death.

Rocinha, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. About 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America early November 2011 in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Favela boys hang out waiting for their mix-martial arts class to start, in Rocinha, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013.

A young woman wears a pendant of the Virgin Mary, in Rocinha, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. In early November 2011 about 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

A UPP officer stands guard watching over Rocinha residents, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. In early November 2011 about 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Favela Kombat MMA is a mixed-martial event bringing contending semi-professional fighters from Rio's favelas into the octagon, some for the first time. The first tournament was held in Rocinha, on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The community only pays in food donations, enabling access to see an organized mixed-martial arts event, and for many their first time seeing a live fight.

Favela Kombat MMA is a mixed-martial event bringing contending semi-professional fighters from Rio's favelas into the octagon, some for the first time. The first tournament was held in Rocinha, on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The community only pays in food donations, enabling access to see an organized mixed-martial arts event, and for many their first time seeing a live fight.

Residents of Largo do Tanque undergo forced evictions and demolition of homes in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone, to make room for the Transcarioca Highway, that will eventually be built to accommodate the Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. In less than 2 weeks, 54 houses were demolished with sledgehammers and bulldozers. City officials told residents not to speak with one another or seek legal advice otherwise settlement offers would be reduced. Many residents agreed to compensations, around R$7000 (US$3500) it was not enough to buy a plot of land. According to the Brazilian Constitution, the duration of residents’ life in the area gave them legal rights to the homes, while compensation should allow them to attain an equal situation elsewhere.

Bathers enjoy the artificial pool of Piscinão de Ramos, or “big pool of Ramos”, in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, March 10, 2013. Despite its popularity, the "piscinão,” "big pool," is controversial. Some north region residents believe it was built to keep them from the luxurious south zone beaches. In 2001 the bay, where 70% of the city's sewage is dumped, was declared too polluted to swim in and the state of Rio de Janeiro created the piscinão to bring clean water to the North Zone residents.

Residents of Madureira neighborhood rehearsal their samba dance in preparation for Carnaval, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, Jan 13, 2013.

Rio's Elite Special Forces Police Unit Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiai, or BOPE, patrol the Parque Alegria favela a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) at the Caju favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 3, 2013. The elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood of 13 communities in Caju favela complex early Sunday in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades.

A resident works on a bus, in Vidigal favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. Vidigal has seen a rise in the cost of housing and foreign investment since it was pacified last year.

Residents watch a parade during Carnaval in Rocinha, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. In early November 2011 about 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Police Pacification Unit (UPP) officers prepare and on patrol in Complexo do Caju, a complex of a newly pacified favelas in the North Zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, April 27, 2013. In the early hours of Sunday, March 3, 2013, about 1,400 Brazilian security forces occupied 13 communities during a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Complexo do Caju and Barreira do Vasco. Elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades. For the community of Caju, that is ADA (Amigos de Amigos).

Special elite police forces, BOPE, shoot smoke bombs, tear gas and rubber bullets at protestors in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday, June 20, 2013. About 300,000 Cariocas (residents of Rio de Janeiro) against the government, which began with a 20-cent hike in public transport fares, and moved to widespread frustration about a heavy tax burden, corrupt politicians and weak public education, health and transport systems, as the nation hosts the Confederations Cup soccer tournament and prepares for next month's papal visit. The demonstrations came despite the government's U-turn over public transport fare hikes which sparked the protests over a week ago.

Rio's Elite Special Forces Police Unit Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiai, or BOPE, with Navy soldiers prepare for a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) at the Caju favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 3, 2013. The elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood of 13 communities in Caju favela complex early Sunday in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades.

Girls wait for passinho dancers to appear on-stage during the Batalha do Passinho, a dance-off event of a new movement born out of pacification and baile funk in the favelas, in Cidade de Deus, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Passinho is liberated dance form born from the favelas, incorporating a more feminine dance expression that baile funk repressed, but without the hypersexualized lyrics in the music.

Military police patrol the Parque Alegria favela a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) at the Caju favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, March 3, 2013. The elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood of 13 communities in Caju favela complex early Sunday in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades.

Modeling school for youth and teen girls to build self-confidence and leadership skills, in Rocinha, Rio de Janerio, Brazil, on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013.

Elaine Soares Conceiçáo, right, checks her gun as she prepares for her shift, in Complexo do Caju, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday May 10, 2013. In the early hours of Sunday, March 3, 2013, about 1,400 Brazilian security forces occupied 13 communities during a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Complexo do Caju and Barreira do Vasco. Elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades. For the community of Caju, that is ADA (Amigos de Amigos) and CV (Comando Vermelho).

Tais Castro, 14, and Wellington Costa, 19, hang out and practice passinho, in Cidade de Deus, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, May 8, 2013. Cidade de Deus, a favela in the west zone was pacified in 2009. Passinho is liberated dance form born from the favelas, incorporating a more feminine dance expression that baile funk repressed, but without the hypersexualized lyrics in the music.

Mateus, 22, who opened a barber shop three weeks ago in his home, shaves his friend's head, Bruno, 16, right, in Complexo do Caju, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday May 10, 2013. In the early hours of Sunday, March 3, 2013, about 1,400 Brazilian security forces occupied 13 communities during a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Complexo do Caju and Barreira do Vasco. Elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades. For the community of Caju, that is ADA (Amigos de Amigos) and CV (Comando Vermelho).

Youths play in Complexo da Mare, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday, April 27, 2013. Complexo da Mare, is a complex of 16 communities, in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro. It is the largest complex of favelas with 130,000 residents. It is targeted for pacification as the city prepares for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. Four factions run the complex - three drug gangs and the militia. The rival gangs fight for control of the drug trade. Although crime is low in the favelas by rule of law enforced by the gangs, cross-fire shootings and gang violence is often high. Neighborhood associations are an integral part of community development within Mare, making up for a lack of government assistance.

A boy pets a horse in in Complexo do Caju, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. In the early hours of Sunday, March 3, 2013, about 1,400 Brazilian security forces occupied 13 communities during a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Complexo do Caju and Barreira do Vasco. Elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades. For the community of Caju, that is ADA (Amigos de Amigos) and CV (Comando Vermelho).

Residents of Largo do Tanque undergo forced evictions and demolition of homes in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone, to make room for the Transcarioca Highway, that will eventually be built to accommodate the Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. In less than 2 weeks, 54 houses were demolished with sledgehammers and bulldozers. City officials told residents not to speak with one another or seek legal advice otherwise settlement offers would be reduced. Many residents agreed to compensations, around R$7000 (US$3500) it was not enough to buy a plot of land. According to the Brazilian Constitution, the duration of residents’ life in the area gave them legal rights to the homes, while compensation should allow them to attain an equal situation elsewhere.

Parishioners celebrate Palm Sunday at Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Penha Church, in Complexo da Alamao, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, March 24, 2013.

Rocinha residents, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. In early November 2011 about 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Rocinha, a favela home to over 100,000 residents, has the highest rate of tuberculosis in all of Latin America, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013.

Pacification Police Unit (UPP) patrol Complexo do Caju, a complex of favelas in the north zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, May 4, 2013. In the early hours of Sunday, March 3, 2013, about 1,400 Brazilian security forces occupied 13 communities during a joint public security operation to install a Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, Complexo do Caju and Barreira do Vasco. Elite police units backed by armored military vehicles and helicopters invaded the neighborhood in an on-going policing program aimed to drive violent and heavily armed drug gangs out of Rio's poor communities, where the traffickers have ruled for decades. For the community of Caju, that is ADA (Amigos de Amigos) and CV (Comando Vermelho).

Pacifying Police officers get in heated disagreement with residents, in Rocinha, the largest favela in Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday, March 9, 2013.

View of São Conrado merges with Rocinha, the biggest favela in Brazil, with over 100,000 residents, in Rio de Janeiro, Br., on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. About 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums in Latin America early November 2011 in an effort by the Brazilian government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.