The document establishes an international coalition to combat drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations
One proclamation signed on Saturday (7) by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, opened a new chapter in the country’s security strategy for Latin America.
The document establishes an international coalition to combat drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations – a movement that already raises questions about possible impacts on groups operating in Brazil, such as Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV).
The proclamation was announced during the so-called Shield of the Americas Summitheld in Miami, and formalizes the creation of the Anti-Cartel Coalition of the Americas, an initiative that brings together representatives from 17 countries to expand cooperation against transnational organized crime.
What changes in practice
In practice, the document indicates that the United States will begin to coordinate a broader regional strategy against cartels and criminal networks.
Among the planned actions are:
– intensive exchange of intelligence between participating countries
– joint operations against transnational criminal networks
– identification and destruction of trafficking routes
– blocking of financing and money laundering
– training and cooperation between military and security forces
The initiative also allows participating countries to request support from partnersincluding the United States, to locate and dismantle infrastructure used by cartels, such as logistics bases and international drug routes.
American officials also advocate a tougher approach against criminal organizations. During the summit, Trump even encouraged governments in the region to use their military forces against cartels, highlighting that the coalition seeks a coordinated response to organized crime that operates beyond national borders.
Countries involved
The initiative brings together governments from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the leaders present at the summit were representatives from countries such as Argentina, El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras and Chile, in addition to the United States.
Three major regional powers, however, were left out of the initial initiative: Brazil, Mexico and Colombia.
The absence of these countries drew attention because they are among the main territories of origin, transit or combating drug trafficking in the region.
Impact for Brazil
Even without participating in the coalition, the Brazil appears at the center of discussions about organized crime on the continent.
That’s because Brazilian criminal organizationslike the PCC and Comando Vermelho have expanded their international operations in recent decades, especially on drug trafficking routes that pass through South American countries.
With the new coalition, analysts estimate that neighboring countries that participate in the initiative could intensify operations and police cooperation at the borders, which could affect routes used by criminal networks that pass through Brazilian territory.
In practice, some experts point out that the American strategy could create a regional belt of security cooperation around Brazil, especially in countries that share a direct border or are close to the main trafficking routes used by Brazilian organizations.
PCC and Red Command
Another point that began to be discussed after the proclamation is the possibility of criminal organizations being classified as terrorist organizations by the United States.
This type of classification would allow the American government to use broader combat instruments, such as:
– international blocking of financial resources
– economic sanctions
– travel restrictions
– expanded cooperation between intelligence agencies
During the Shield of the Americas Summit, the spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Amanda Robertson, was
The question was asked by the journalist from Young Pan Eliseu Caetano, who asked directly about the possibility of groups like PCC and Comando Vermelho joining the list of terrorist organizations.
According to Robertson, “all cards are on the table” when it comes to the measures evaluated by the American government to combat transnational organized crime.
The statement does not confirm that Brazilian organizations are about to receive this classification, but it also does not rule out that this possibility will be analyzed in the future.
New phase in the fight against crime
The creation of the anti-cartel coalition signals an important change in the way the United States deals with organized crime in the hemisphere.
Instead of focusing only on police investigations and judicial cooperation, the strategy presented by the American government now includes military coordination, regional intelligence and diplomatic pressure against criminal networks.
For Latin American countries – and especially for Brazil – the real impact of the initiative will depend on how this coalition evolves in the coming months and what concrete measures will be adopted by participating governments.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
