The U.S. Department of State intends to designate Brazil's Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations [1].
This move expands the legal tools available to the U.S. government to disrupt organized crime in Latin America. By shifting the classification from criminal gangs to terrorist entities, Washington can implement more aggressive financial and legal sanctions.
The designation is slated to take effect on June 5, 2026 [2]. This action allows the U.S. to freeze assets, impose sanctions, and pursue criminal prosecutions against members of the two groups [1].
U.S. officials said the decision is intended to combat transnational crime and drug trafficking [1]. The PCC and CV operate primarily in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where they maintain significant control over drug corridors and local territories [1].
The Trump administration is pursuing this strategy to increase U.S. leverage in the region ahead of Brazil's upcoming election [1]. The move signals a shift toward treating regional drug cartels as security threats rather than mere law enforcement challenges.
Two gangs are being targeted in this specific action [1]. The State Department announced the plan on May 28, 2026, as part of a broader effort to curb the flow of illicit goods and weapons across borders [1].
These organizations have long been identified as the largest drug gangs in Brazil [1]. The new labels will enable the U.S. to coordinate more closely with international partners to dismantle the financial networks that sustain these groups.
“The U.S. Department of State intends to designate Brazil's Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.”
By designating the PCC and CV as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, the U.S. is effectively treating Brazilian organized crime as a national security threat rather than a domestic policing issue. This allows for the use of the Patriot Act and other counter-terrorism laws to target the gangs' global financial infrastructure. Coming just before a Brazilian election, the move also serves as a geopolitical signal regarding the U.S. expectation of security cooperation in the region.
