US Designates Brazil’s Two Largest Criminal Gangs as Terrorist Organizations

The Story

The U.S. State Department announced on May 28, 2026, that it will designate Brazil’s two largest criminal groups, the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command (CV), as foreign terrorist organizations. The move, advocated by presidential candidate Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, has been opposed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who views it as interference in Brazil’s sovereignty. Both groups emerged from Brazilian prisons and are heavily involved in drug trafficking.

Key Facts

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation of the PCC and the Red Command (CV) as foreign terrorist organizations.
• Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a presidential candidate and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, visited Washington, D.C., and advocated for the designation.
• President Lula opposed the designation, calling it an affront to Brazilian sovereignty.
• Both groups originated in Brazilian prisons and are major drug trafficking organizations with thousands of members.
• The designation is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to combat drug cartels in the Western Hemisphere.
• Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign has been affected by revelations of a financial scandal involving a banker.
• Lula had not publicly commented on the announcement as of the reports.
• The designation is expected to restrict the groups’ financial transactions.
• The move comes ahead of Brazil’s presidential election scheduled for October 2026.

Conflicting Reports

• Effective date of designation: The Guardian states the U.S. “has designated” the groups as terrorist organizations, while abcnews.com (AP) reports the State Department “will designate” them as of June 5, with immediate status as “specially designated global terrorists.”
• Status of former President Jair Bolsonaro: The Guardian reports he is “in house arrest after being convicted of attempting a coup,” while abcnews.com (AP) states he is “serving his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt.”

Still Unclear

• The Guardian (single-source claim) reports that former President Jair Bolsonaro is barred from running in the election.
• abcnews.com (AP, single-source claim) quotes political analyst Thomas Traumann saying the designation is “the Trump administration trying to meddle in the election after a request by Flávio Bolsonaro.”
• abcnews.com (AP, single-source claim) reports that a Brazilian government staffer said there was no prior notice from the Trump administration about the announcement.
• The Guardian (single-source claim) notes that three weeks ago, President Trump met with Lula at the White House and did not mention the designation.
• The Guardian (single-source claim) cites an ACLED report that U.S. pressure drove an 18% increase in clashes between security forces and armed groups in Latin America in 2025.
• It is unclear whether the designation will have significant practical consequences for the gangs’ operations.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the sources.

Key Figures

• Marco Rubio: U.S. Secretary of State.
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: President of Brazil.
• Flávio Bolsonaro: Brazilian senator and presidential candidate.
• Jair Bolsonaro: Former president of Brazil.
• Donald Trump: President of the United States.
• Celso Amorim: Lula’s special adviser for foreign affairs (single-source mention).
• Thomas Traumann: Political analyst (single-source mention).

Sources: The Guardian, abcnews.com