Classification has already been rejected by the Lula government, based on national and international legislation on the subject
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, and the Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, spoke on the phone to discuss the relationship between the countries, after the American government signaled its intention that Brazilian criminal factions be classified as terrorist organizations.
The Trump administration has returned to the charge regarding the classification of terrorist organizations, something already rejected by the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva government, based on national and international legislation on the subject.
In Washington’s focus are the main organizations with roots in Brazil and continental operations, as well as links in Europe, such as the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command (CV).
The call took place over the weekend, after Trump’s meeting with Latin American presidents in Florida, in which he discussed operations to combat organized crime. The meeting, to which the PT member was not invited, was called Shield of the Americas, and dealt with public security.
Aspects of judicial cooperation and the topic of organized crime were discussed in the conversation, as part of the preparation for Lula and Trump’s visit, postponed after the start of the war on Iran.
Members of the Brazilian government fear that the classification could give legal veneer to military interventions in Latin America, and remember the operation to capture dictator Nicolás Maduro, in Venezuela. The US employed a military air and naval force in an alleged operation against Venezuelan drug cartels.
Furthermore, the Executive does not see support for the classification as it understands that the crime of terrorism, according to the law in force in the country, has reasons for xenophobia, discrimination or prejudice based on race, color, ethnicity and religion.
Diplomats who follow the discussions understand that the leak of information and the advancement of the agenda, especially at the lowest levels of the American bureaucratic machine, responds to the cries of the Bolsonarista lobby in the USA, for opposing the two governments, in an election year.
The Palácio do Planalto has sought to create channels of trust with the White House, but is aware of the political objection of members of the State Department close to the Bolsonarists, such as the new Policy consultant for Brazil, Darren Beattie. The Brazilian government, therefore, has sought discretion in contacts.
The discussion about considering PCC and CV as terrorist groups took shape last year and was the subject of debates in the National Congress, with clear support of right-wing parliamentarians and opposition to Lula.
O Itamaraty declined to comment on the phone call. Until the publication of this article, the State Department had not responded to a request for comment.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
