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Rio's 'narco-pentecostal' gangs use religion to dominate favelas

BBC
Summary
Nutrition label

54% Informative

Some Rio gangsters see themselves as God's 'soldiers of crime', with Jesus as "the owner" of the territory they dominate.

Some have dubbed them " Narco-Pentecostals " Pastor Diego Nascimento became a Christian after hearing the gospel from a gangster holding a gun.

He was once a member of Rio 's notorious Red Command crime gang and managed its activities.

Allegations of religious extremism in Rio 's favelas first gained attention in the early 2000s .

The problem has "increased dramatically" in recent years , says Marcio de Jagun , co-ordinator of Religious Diversity at Rio's City Hall .

But religion and crime have long been intertwined in Brazil , says theologian Vivian Costa.

VR Score

49

Informative language

42

Neutral language

63

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

48

Offensive language

offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

External references

no external sources

Source diversity

no sources

Affiliate links

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