São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) said the U.S. decision to label the PCC and CV as terrorist organizations does not threaten Brazil’s national sovereignty.

The designation marks a significant shift in how international authorities view Brazilian organized crime, potentially altering legal cooperation and security protocols between the two nations.

Speaking in an interview on Jovem Pan News on May 28, 2026, de Freitas said he pushed back against critics who argue that the U.S. move constitutes an infringement on Brazil's internal affairs. He characterized the groups not as mere criminal factions, but as armed threats to stability.

"PCC and CV are not factions, they are armed terrorists," de Freitas said [2].

He said that the classification of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as terrorists does not pose a risk to the country's autonomy [1].

This perspective contrasts with views held by legal and security analysts. Experts cited by O Globo said that the classification could offer risk to national sovereignty [3]. Some analysts had been discussing the potential implications of such a move for two months leading up to the official announcement [3].

Other critics have been more direct in their opposition. Reports from CNN Brasil said the U.S. decision was a direct intervention in Brazil's national sovereignty [3].

De Freitas' comments serve to align the administration of São Paulo with the U.S. security designation, prioritizing the disruption of the gangs' international networks over the diplomatic concerns raised by sovereignty advocates.

“"PCC and CV are not factions, they are armed terrorists,"”

The disagreement between Governor de Freitas and national security experts highlights a tension between pragmatic security cooperation and diplomatic autonomy. By supporting the U.S. designation, the São Paulo government signals a preference for utilizing international counter-terrorism frameworks to dismantle powerful criminal syndicates, even if it means accepting a precedent where a foreign power defines the nature of domestic threats.