There is fear that the classification by the USA will facilitate unilateral North American interventions, also causing damage to the Brazilian economy
The president’s government (PT) opposes the classification of the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital) and CV (Comando Vermelho) as terrorist organizations since the United States began to signal this possibility. This Thursday (May 28, 2026), the US Department of State of the two factions as FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organizations, in Portuguese). Read at (804 – kB).
There is an assessment that this measure could facilitate unilateral North American interventions in Brazil – a concern heightened after the , in February this year. Furthermore, the risk that the classification will harm the national economy is analyzed.
In a note released after the announcement this Thursday (May 28), the special advisor to the Presidency, Celso Amorim, stated that the “Public security is a fundamental issue for socioeconomic development. Organized crime is an evil that must be combated. International cooperation is welcome, especially on issues such as money laundering and weapons smuggling. Pretexts for intervention are unacceptable.”
In the United States, the designation of a foreign organization as terrorist triggers:
- freezing of financial assets;
- immigration restrictions on members;
- criminalizes the voluntary provision of material support or resources to the classified group;
- Foreign members are not admitted to the United States and may be removed from the country.
Planalto states that the measure expands an existing legal divergence with Washington and could cause side effects on Brazilian financial institutions, since North American legislation allows sanctions on banks and companies that operate with organizations falling into this category, even without direct knowledge of the connection with the groups.
Foreign criminal organizations are designated by the Secretary of State under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. The organization must meet the following requirements:
- being a foreigner;
- be involved in terrorist activities or have the capacity and intention to engage in this type of activity;
- The group’s actions must threaten the safety of US citizens or the national security of the United States.
BRAZIL AND USA RELATIONSHIP
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in March. O US government signaled that it would classify the two factions as “terrorists”. He said that criminal factions are “significant threats to regional security”.
Two months later, Brazil informed the United States that it did not agree with the classification. The issue was addressed at a meeting in Brasília attended by Brazilian authorities and North American representatives led by David Gamble, acting head of coordination at the United States Department of Sanctions.
The government assesses that the PCC and Comando Vermelho do not fit the definition of “terrorism” defined in Brazilian legislation, as they act with economic motivation and territorial control, and not ideological.
The theme in the meeting between Lula and Trump on May 7th. According to the president himself, the subject did not enter the conversation about security and combating crime.
At the time, Lula stated: “We do not discuss criminal factions and terrorism with President Trump because he talks about some faction in Brazil.”
