The U.S. Department of State announced Thursday that it will classify two Brazilian criminal factions as terrorist organizations [1].
This designation marks a significant escalation in how the U.S. addresses organized crime in South America. By labeling these groups as terrorists rather than mere criminal enterprises, the U.S. government can deploy more aggressive financial sanctions and legal tools to dismantle their operations.
The two groups designated are the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) [1]. U.S. officials said the factions orchestrate "brutal attacks" and are among the most violent criminal groups in Brazil [1].
The announcement occurred on May 28, 2026 [1], and the official classification takes effect on June 5, 2026 [1, 2].
The decision followed a meeting at Brazil's Planalto Palace involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former President Donald Trump, and Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro [1, 2]. While the U.S. Department of State issued the formal announcement, some reports said the declaration was attributed to the Trump administration [1, 3].
Brazilian officials at the Planalto Palace were reportedly caught by surprise by the move [2]. However, some Brazilian political figures expressed support for the measure, including Senator Nikolas Ferreira, who congratulated Senator Bolsonaro following the news [3].
The U.S. government is targeting a total of two organizations in this specific action [1]. The move aims to disrupt the international networks these factions use to move narcotics, and weapons across borders.
“The U.S. Department of State announced Thursday that it will classify two Brazilian criminal factions as terrorist organizations.”
The shift from 'criminal' to 'terrorist' classification allows the U.S. to utilize the Patriot Act and other counter-terrorism laws to freeze assets and criminalize the provision of material support to these groups. This creates a more restrictive environment for the PCC and Comando Vermelho, potentially disrupting their global money-laundering networks and complicating their logistics in the Americas.
