Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a 1997 novel by Brazilian author Paulo Lins.
"Cidade de Deus" (City of God) is the name of a housing project created by the government in the 1960s, where the action takes place. As usual with such projects, it was virtually abandoned by the authorities after its creation, becoming one of Rio's worst favelas (slums). This is why the name is ironic.
It's a reference to the Comando Vermelho (Red Command), a Brazilian crime syndicate which has operated in Rio de Janeiro since 1979.
