The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will launch the "Brasil Contra o Crime Organizado" program on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 [4].
This initiative represents a significant escalation in the federal government's effort to dismantle the infrastructure of criminal factions. By focusing on the financial assets of these groups, the administration aims to cripple the economic power that allows organized crime to operate across state lines.
The program involves a total investment of R$ 11 billion [1], [2], [3]. These funds are earmarked for a multi-pronged approach to public security, specifically targeting the flow of illegal weapons, and the financial networks used by criminal organizations to fund their operations.
Beyond financial disruption, the plan prioritizes the strengthening of prison security to prevent gang leaders from coordinating activities from within correctional facilities. The government also intends to improve homicide clearance rates to ensure that violent crimes do not go unsolved [1], [5].
Officials said the strategy focuses on the intersection of arms trafficking and the financial power of factions. By disrupting these two pillars, the administration believes it can reduce the overall capacity of organized crime to influence local territories.
While some reports indicated the program would be launched generally this week [1], [2], other sources specified that the formal presentation would occur on Tuesday [4]. The nationwide rollout is intended to coordinate federal and state resources more effectively in the fight against systemic violence.
“The program involves a total investment of R$ 11 billion”
The 'Brasil Contra o Crime Organizado' program signals a shift toward 'follow-the-money' policing in Brazil. By prioritizing the seizure of assets and targeting the financial logistics of factions, the Lula administration is attempting to move beyond traditional street-level enforcement toward a strategic disruption of the criminal economy.
