Political, media, and academic sectors in Brazil are warning today that the potential decision by the United States to classify two major criminal factions in the country as terrorists could open geopolitical tensions and affect national sovereignty.
The concern arises from press reports indicating that the Donald Trump administration is evaluating the inclusion of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and the Comando Vermelho (CV) in its list of foreign terrorist organizations. This controversial decision would expand Washington's powers to sanction individuals, block assets, and even justify extraterritorial operations, several experts have warned.
The possible designation has already triggered immediate reactions in Brazil, where analysts believe the measure could alter the balance in international cooperation against organized crime and set a precedent for intervention in internal security matters. According to the ICL Notícias portal, one of the fears of Brazilian authorities is that with this designation, the operations of the PCC and CV could become targets of U.S. military attacks.
News on this topic comes after, over the weekend, in a meeting with right-wing leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, Trump once again expressed his interest in turning the drug trafficking problem into an instrument to control the region, noted that digital site. Various sources recall that the PCC and CV are among the largest criminal organizations in Brazil, with a presence in drug trafficking and smuggling networks in several countries, but they emphasize that their nature differs from that of terrorist groups.
An analysis by the Institute for the Reform of State-Business Relations argues that these factions operate mainly for economic purposes and to control illegal markets, not with ideological or political objectives, an element considered central to the classic definition of terrorism. Thomaz Delgado de David, a Master in International Relations from the University of São Paulo, considers the possibility of their classification as terrorists to be worrisome, arguing that the United States could aggravate the imposition of financial sanctions, based on its domestic legal framework.
Furthermore, in statements to Brasil de Fato, he warned that they might use this as a pretext to justify potential political and direct military intervention measures, even if there is no legal basis for it. Edinho Silva, national president of the Workers' Party (PT), criticized the possible decision and its risks to sovereignty.
Through a post on his social networks, he stated that the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration has adopted measures to combat organized crime, thanks to which it has strangled a large part of the financial system that sustained crime in Brazil. Analysts cited by the UOL portal agree that such a move by the United States would threaten national sovereignty and point out that behind the measure is also the interest in distancing the South American giant from economic relations with China.
Retired Colonel Paulo Roberto da Silva Gomes Filho, from the Army's Center for Strategic Studies, drew attention to that medium to statements made last Thursday by the head of the U.S. Southern Command, Francis Donovan, who affirmed that, if necessary, they will not hesitate to act. Operation Absolute Resolution is proof of this commitment, said Donovan, in reference to the name given by Washington to the military aggression of January 3 against Venezuela.
«Clearly, it states that the United States can act unilaterally when it deems it necessary,» expressed Paulo Filho. According to Carta Capital, the Lula government has launched an offensive in the face of the eventual designation, fearing it could be used to justify military operations or other unilateral actions outside U.S. territory. Several Brazilian journalistic organizations reported that Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira spoke on the phone on Sunday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the Brazilian government's concerns.
Experts also warn that the issue could influence the political climate ahead of the 2026 presidential elections in Brazil, by placing national sovereignty, public security, and relations with the United States at the center of the debate. While Washington is allegedly evaluating the measure, voices in Brazil are growing that warn of its consequences and indicate that any international initiative against organized crime must respect the country's self-determination and institutions.
