US designates Brazil's PCC and Comando Vermelho as terrorist groups

The United States announced that Brazil's two largest criminal syndicates, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and the Comando Vermelho, are now classified as terrorist organizations. The designation was made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and justified on the basis that the groups’ violence and drug‑trafficking operations extend into the United States.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded with sharp criticism, asserting that Brazil will not accept external interference and warning that the move threatens the country’s sovereignty and economic stability. Lula’s administration highlighted concerns that the label could be used to justify financial sanctions, including possible restrictions on Brazilian banks and trade.

The decision comes amid broader U.S. pressure on Brazil to reduce ties with China and to deepen cooperation between American law‑enforcement agencies and Brazilian authorities. On the ground, residents in neighborhoods such as Salvador’s Engenho Velho report increased armed presence of traffickers and daily gunfire, underscoring the grim reality that the groups’ activities already create a climate of terror for locals.