A deadly police raid in the Rio de Janeiro favela of Vila Cruzeiro at the end of May resulted in 23 deaths — the second-most lethal law enforcement operation in the city’s history. The incursion drew outrage from human rights groups and a significant portion of the Brazilian population, but one curious aspect of the raid caught the attention of keener observers.
Amid the footage of heavily armed law enforcement marching through Vila Cruzeiro’s alleys, a number of officers were seen wearing uniforms with the letters PRF emblazoned on the back.
The PRF, or Polícia Rodoviária Federal, is Brazil’s...
