In a decision that has raised fresh concerns over human rights and accountability, United States officials approved the sale of 20 sniper rifles to BOPE—an elite police unit in Rio de Janeiro known for high-fatality operations. The weapons were authorised despite internal objections, and came ahead of a raid that claimed at least 121 lives.
Tension Builds: Approval Against the Grain
Back in May 2023, U.S. diplomats, including the then-ambassador to Brazil, flagged serious worries about BOPE’s track record of deadly operations. A State Department memo described the unit as “among the most notorious police units in Brazil in regard to killings of civilians”.
Nevertheless, the export went through. The weapons in question—sniper rifles produced in the U.S. and suppressors from a Wisconsin manufacturer—were shipped to Brazil in 2024 after a protracted internal debate.
Deadly Raid Amplifies Scrutiny
On 28 October 2025, BOPE participated in a military-style operation that resulted in at least 121 fatalities including four police officers — making it Brazil’s deadliest ever.
With the new U.S.-made rifles arriving in the same period, critics say the sale is deeply troubling. They argue it may have emboldened a unit already accused of using disproportionate force in Brazil’s favelas and slums.
Political and Human Rights Fallout
The sale and subsequent raid place the Brazilian government led by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a bind: while the crackdown enjoys public support (55 % nationally, and 62 % in Rio according to recent polling) , the international and domestic human-rights communities are calling for urgent investigations into possible extrajudicial killings. Affected families in Rio staged protests; opposition politicians are gearing up.
For the United States, the scandal raises tough questions about export controls and whether an ally is effectively enabling a widely criticised law-enforcement agency.
