US Designates Two Major Brazilian Criminal Groups as Terrorist Organizations, Drawing Political Backlash

The United States State Department has announced plans to classify two major Brazilian criminal organizations as foreign terrorist entities, prompting strong reactions from Brazilian political leadership.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has characterized the move as external meddling that would serve the interests of his leading political rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, ahead of October's presidential elections.

The State Department identified the "First Capital Command" (PCC) and "Red Command" (CV) as the targets of the designation, citing them as among Brazil's most brutal criminal networks. Both groups maintain memberships in the thousands and have perpetrated violent operations against Brazilian law enforcement and state officials.

The designation takes effect on June 5, at which point both organizations will be formally treated as foreign terrorist entities under US law.

The timing reflects ongoing pressure from supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro and his son Flavio, who have repeatedly demanded such a classification and contended that the current administration has been ineffective in combating these criminal enterprises.

Security analysts place the combined membership of the two organizations at over 50,000 individuals. Their financial operations and international networks are primarily situated in Europe, with minimal presence in North America.

Brazil's government had actively opposed the classification, arguing that neither organization pursues political or ideological objectives and therefore fails to meet the definitional threshold of terrorism under Brazilian law. Officials in Brasilia have also expressed concern that the designation could provide Washington with legal justification for intensified enforcement actions, including potential security or military operations within Brazilian borders—a prospect viewed as an infringement on national sovereignty.

The designation aligns with a broader initiative under the Trump administration to classify organized crime syndicates operating across Latin America as terrorist organizations, part of an expanded approach to addressing drug trafficking and organized criminal activity throughout the region.