Celso Amorim criticizes Escudo das Américas as a siege on Brazil

Celso Amorim, special advisor to President Lula for international affairs, has characterized the ‘Escudo das Américas’ security alliance as a ‘siege on Brazil.’ Amorim argues the initiative, led by Donald Trump, uses the false pretext of combating organized crime as international terrorism to impose absolute domination over the region.

The alliance, which includes the United States and 14 Latin American nations, aims to coordinate intelligence and operations. It has supported U.S. sanctions against 24 regional criminal organizations, including Brazil’s PCC and Comando Vermelho, which the White House has classified as narcoterrorists.

The Brazilian government opposes the classification of these domestic factions as international terrorist organizations, fearing it could facilitate U.S. interventions on Brazilian soil and lead to sanctions against national companies. While some regional leaders have joined the bloc due to political alignment with Trump, others have done so for strategic calculations. Additionally, Amorim described recent U.S. tariffs on Brazilian products as a ‘measure of intimidation’ against the Lula administration.