A former Argentine tourism minister is in critical condition after being shot in the head and chest during a family holiday in Brazil when his GPS mistakenly directed him into a dangerous slum.
Gastón Fernando Burlón, 51, was driving with his wife and two children in Rio de Janeiro on December 12 when the incident occurred.
The family was heading to visit the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue when their GPS led them into the Morro dos Prazeres favela, an area notorious for being controlled by the Comando Vermelho, Rio’s largest and most feared criminal organization.
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As the family’s car entered the favela, unidentified individuals opened fire, striking Burlón multiple times.
He lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into a wall.
Disturbing footage from the aftermath shows the car’s heavily damaged bonnet and blood pooling in the front seat.
Emergency services arrived shortly after the attack.
Firefighters managed to rescue Burlón and transport him to Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Authorities have not yet identified the shooters, and the Tourist Police are leading the investigation into the incident.
Burlón, a respected figure in Argentina’s tourism industry, currently serves as director of the Argentine Chamber of Student Tourism.
He previously held the position of Secretary of Tourism for the city of Bariloche from 2017 to 2023 and also managed a travel agency earlier in his career.
Traveling with him at the time of the shooting was his wife, Nadia Loza, who is the Secretary of Tourism for Salta Province, and their two children.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the tourism sector and highlighted the risks associated with navigating areas controlled by criminal groups in Brazil.
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SOURCE: Ex-minister is shot in head and chest after GPS leads him into favela
