The United States has designated the Brazilian criminal factions Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as foreign terrorist organizations [1].

This move elevates the legal status of these gangs to the same level as groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas. By doing so, the U.S. expands its legal tools to disrupt the financial networks and operational capacities of these organizations, which have grown into transnational threats.

The announcement occurred on the night of Thursday, May 28 [1]. The designation was coordinated through the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Justice [1]. While some reports indicated the classification was still being finalized in the coming days [2, 3], other sources confirmed the groups were added to the list on Thursday [1].

U.S. officials said the designation is necessary to combat transnational organized crime. The U.S. said that the PCC and CV pose a security threat comparable to other designated terrorist groups [3]. This classification allows the U.S. to freeze assets, and criminalize the provision of material support to these factions.

These groups operate primarily in Brazil but have expanded their reach across borders. The U.S. intends to use this designation to facilitate deeper cooperation with Brazilian authorities in dismantling the leadership and logistics of these factions [2]. This strategy treats the gangs not merely as drug trafficking entities, but as systemic threats to regional stability.

The PCC and CV have long dominated the criminal landscape in Brazil, controlling vast territories and smuggling routes. The new U.S. designation puts them on the same list as Mexican drug cartels, signaling a shift in how the U.S. views the intersection of organized crime and terrorism [1].

“The US adds Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho to the same list as Al-Qaeda and ISIS.”

This designation marks a significant escalation in U.S. foreign policy toward Latin American organized crime. By labeling the PCC and CV as terrorist organizations rather than just criminal gangs, the U.S. government can employ more aggressive financial sanctions and intelligence-gathering tools. This move likely pressures the Brazilian government to align its internal security strategies with U.S. counter-terrorism frameworks, potentially increasing U.S. influence over Brazilian law enforcement operations.