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The Trump administration increased pressure on crime cartels operating out of Brazil on Thursday by moving to classify two of the country’s biggest drug gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
The two syndicates — First Command of the Capital (PCC) and Red Command (CV) — likely have more than 50,000 members combined, according to The Associated Press.
“Today, the U.S. Department of State is designating Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) and intends to designate both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), effective June 5, 2026,” the State Department said in a statement.
“CV and PCC are two of the most violent criminal organizations in Brazil. Together, they command thousands of members and have orchestrated brutal attacks against Brazilian police officers, public officials and civilians. Their influence and illicit networks extend far beyond Brazil’s borders, across our region and into our country,” the statement said.
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The Trump administration, the department added, will continue to utilize all available tools to protect the nation and U.S. national security interests by keeping illicit drugs off American streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists.
“Today’s action taken by the State Department further demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and criminal organizations in our region and ensuring the safety of the American people,” the department said in a statement.
The new designation also came after conservative Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro met with President Donald Trump in Washington to urge the administration to formally designate the gangs as terrorist entities.
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The 45-year-old senator and presidential hopeful shared a photo Tuesday standing by Trump’s side in the Oval Office, flashing a thumbs-up sign as he seeks to bolster his image amid a political scandal at home.
“I went specifically to ask him to designate the CV and PCC as terrorist organizations, because that’s what they are,” he told reporters in Washington.
With Brazil’s presidential election slated for October, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have campaigned for the U.S. designation to target the public security failures of current leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
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Proponents argue that the PCC and CV operate across international borders through drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons smuggling and territorial control, making them comparable to other transnational groups already labeled as terrorist organizations by the U.S.
Lula da Silva’s government strongly opposes the designation, arguing the gangs are heavily armed criminal enterprises rather than ideologically motivated terrorist groups. Lula is also seeking re-election.
Brazilian authorities launched a major anti-gang financial crackdown this week targeting fraud and money-laundering networks allegedly linked to PCC operations, The Associated Press reported.
Prosecutors revealed that the investigation uncovered billions of reais moved through fintech firms and shell structures.
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Last year, Brazilian authorities also uncovered a sprawling criminal network that had infiltrated parts of the fuel industry and connected to the financial sector through money-laundering schemes involving members of the PCC.
At the time, authorities seized 1.2 billion reais (approximately $220 million) in assets, the outlet said.