The decision by Donald Trump’s government to classify the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and the Comando Vermelho (CV) as foreign terrorist organizations gained prominence in the international press and was widely associated with the political activities of the Bolsonaro family in Washington.
Announced by the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the measure comes into force on June 5 and expands the sanction instruments available to the American government against people, companies and institutions that maintain relations with criminal groups.
The repercussion outside Brazil, however, focused less on the public security effects and more on the diplomatic and electoral implications of the decision.
The announcement occurred a few days after Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) met with President Donald Trump at the White House and with members of the State Department. During the trip, the parliamentarian stated that he had advocated for Washington to classify the main Brazilian factions as terrorist organizations.
Newspapers link decision to Bolsonaro’s actions
The newspaper The New York Times highlighted the political articulation carried out by allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro with the republican government. In a report published after the announcement, the outlet stated that the measure was taken after months of pressure exerted by members of the Bolsonarista political group.
According to the American newspaper, the decision has the potential to generate new friction between Brasília and Washington precisely at a time of rapprochement between the Lula and Trump governments. The publication also highlighted concerns from Brazilian authorities about the possible repercussions of the measure on the 2026 presidential race.
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O Financial Times followed a similar line. The British newspaper noted that the recognition of the factions as terrorist organizations had been discussed by the American government for months, but highlighted that the moment chosen for the announcement ends up politically benefiting Flávio Bolsonaro, who is trying to consolidate his candidacy for the Planalto Palace.
For the newspaper, the measure could strengthen the public security discourse defended by the senator and expand his association with the Trump administration at a delicate moment in his pre-campaign.
Debate goes beyond public safety
International coverage also addressed the possible economic impacts of the decision. THE New York Times drew attention to the risks of secondary sanctions involving companies and financial institutions that may maintain commercial relations with sectors infiltrated by organized crime.
The newspaper noted that Brazilian criminal organizations have expanded their operations to segments of the formal economy, including the real estate market, fuel distribution, cryptocurrencies and commodity trading, which could increase the degree of exposure of economic agents to future American restrictions.
Political impact
The broadcaster Al Jazeerafrom Qatar, framed the decision within a broader strategy of Trump’s foreign policy towards Latin America. The report linked the measure to the American government’s move to increase the number of criminal organizations classified as terrorist on the continent.
According to the broadcaster, the initiative could produce relevant political effects in Brazil as it occurs in the middle of the presidential dispute and after successive demonstrations of Trump’s support for the Bolsonaro family.
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I and France24 highlighted the division between Latin American governments regarding this type of classification. The French network noted that countries governed by center-left leaders, such as Brazil and Mexico, tend to show resistance to the measure, while governments more aligned to the right tend to support similar initiatives.
In a statement released this Thursday, Marco Rubio stated that PCC and Comando Vermelho are among the most violent criminal organizations in Latin America and justified the measure as part of the American strategy to combat transnational organized crime.
Designation as a foreign terrorist organization expands the United States’ ability to apply financial sanctions, freeze assets under American jurisdiction, and restrict economic relations with individuals or entities that provide material support to groups.
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In Brazil, the announcement comes amid the debate about the limits of international cooperation in combating organized crime and the diplomatic effects of a measure that was celebrated by allies of Flávio Bolsonaro and received with caution by members of the Lula government.
