SAO PAULO, May 29 - Brazil's government on Friday pushed back strongly against a U.S. decision to designate the nation's two largest drug gangs as terrorist organizations, saying the move was confusing, counterproductive and risked harming both national sovereignty and international efforts to fight crime.
The designation was announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Washington would list Brazil's main criminal groups as terrorist entities - a step that could authorize more forceful interventions after requests from opposition figures in Brasilia.
In an official statement, Brazil's presidency warned that it would not accept "arbitrary measures from abroad as a pretext to attack our sovereignty and our economy." The government added that "unilateral measures without negotiation can weaken the fight against crime ... They can hurt the ability to share information between police."
The U.S. embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Political dynamics in Brasilia helped precipitate the U.S. action. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is preparing a presidential bid with the support of his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this week and said he had asked for the gangs to be labeled as terrorists.
Authorities in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration had tried to avoid such formal terrorist designations, citing concerns that they could clear the way for potential U.S. military involvement or lead to sanctions on banks that might unknowingly carry out transactions involving gang members.
President Lula, who is campaigning for re-election in October, publicly criticized Senator Bolsonaro, accusing him of "betraying our homeland and going to the U.S. to ask for intervention in Brazil." Lula also said he had met with President Trump at the White House to discuss combating organized crime but that the designation of the Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) had not been raised during that meeting. He described the U.S. decision as "disappointing" and affirmed that his government would remain focused on domestic efforts to confront both gangs.
The administration emphasized that the CV and PCC are the dominant criminal organizations in much of Brazil's drug trade and that both groups have expanded links across Latin America.
Summary
Brazil formally rejected a U.S. move to classify the Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as terrorist groups, saying the unilateral decision endangers sovereignty, weakens police information-sharing and could have unintended economic consequences.
Key points
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation of Brazil's two largest gangs as terrorist organizations.
- Brazil's presidency called the U.S. action "confused and counterproductive," warning it could undermine policing cooperation and national sovereignty.
- The move follows appeals from opposition figures, including Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, and has prompted public condemnation from President Lula, who called the decision "disappointing."
Risks and uncertainties
- Potential sanctions on banks - The government warned that terrorism designations could pave the way for sanctions against banks that unknowingly conduct business with gang-affiliated entities, affecting the financial sector.
- Weakened law enforcement cooperation - Officials said unilateral steps could weaken information-sharing between police forces, posing risks to domestic and regional crime-fighting efforts.
- Political polarization - The public dispute between opposition figures who sought the designation and President Lula raises uncertainty about domestic political cohesion and policymaking ahead of the October election.