US designates Brazil's PCC and CV as terrorist organizations

The U.S. State Department designated Brazil’s two major criminal groups, Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), as Specially Designated Global Terrorists on May 28, 2026, with the formal Foreign Terrorist Organization status taking effect on June 5, 2026. The designation, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and published in the Federal Register, triggers asset freezes, bans on material support, and criminal prosecution for U.S. persons or entities that assist the groups.

The move expands sanctions beyond existing counter‑narcotics measures, targeting the groups’ alleged use of cryptocurrency for money‑laundering. It imposes heightened due‑diligence requirements on financial institutions, payment processors, and businesses operating in Brazil, especially in finance and agribusiness. The classification also affects immigration, making members or collaborators of PCC and CV inadmissible to the United States and subject to possible deportation. The designation sets a precedent for labeling transnational criminal organizations as terrorist entities, potentially widening the scope of future U.S. counter‑terrorism actions.