The U.S. Department of State is evaluating a classification that would label the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as terrorist organizations [1].
This potential designation would fundamentally alter the legal and financial frameworks governing security cooperation between the U.S. and Brazil. By applying counter-terrorism tools, the U.S. aims to disrupt the financial networks and operational capabilities of these factions more aggressively than under standard criminal statutes.
The move follows a bilateral agreement on organized crime formalized on the 10th [2]. This agreement was designed to strengthen the fight against illicit drug trafficking and arms smuggling by enabling more efficient intelligence sharing between the two nations [2].
Reporting on the evaluation surfaced on April 17, 2026 [1]. The classification would allow the U.S. to apply sanctions and legal pressures typically reserved for global terrorist networks, measures that could freeze assets and restrict the movement of individuals linked to the gangs.
Celeste Leite dos Santos, a prosecutor at the São Paulo Public Ministry, said the designation would change how the two countries collaborate on security, moving beyond traditional policing to a framework of national security [1].
According to the U.S. Department of State, the evaluation is specifically focused on classifying Brazilian criminal factions, such as the PCC and Comando Vermelho, as terrorist organizations [1]. This strategic pivot reflects a growing concern over the transnational reach of these groups and their role in destabilizing regional security through organized crime [1].
The transition to a terrorism-based legal framework would likely streamline the process of tracking illicit funds. It provides the U.S. government with broader authority to monitor financial transactions that support the operational growth of the CV and PCC [2].
“The U.S. Department of State evaluates classifying Brazilian criminal factions, such as the PCC and Comando Vermelho, as terrorist organizations.”
Labeling criminal gangs as terrorist organizations shifts the legal battlefield from domestic law enforcement to international security law. This allows the U.S. to utilize the Patriot Act and other counter-terrorism authorities to freeze assets and blacklist individuals without the burden of proving specific criminal acts in a traditional court. For Brazil, this means increased intelligence sharing but also a potential loss of sovereignty over how these groups are managed within its borders.
