Trump announced the designation of Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho as global terrorist organizations, while Lula questioned the measure and defended Brazil's "sovereignty."
The background of the Comando Vermelho explains the ideological affinity that the left seems to have with these gangs, as the group emerged in the 1970s when "common criminals shared cells with militants and extreme left terrorists" in the prison of Ilha Grande.
In a historic move for the security of the hemisphere, the Government of the United States announced this Thursday the designation of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and the Comando Vermelho (CV) as Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations (SDGT).
However, the response from leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was swift, coming out to "cry" about the measure through a statement where he claimed that "Brazil is a sovereign nation" and that the classification of terrorism should be reserved for actions based on "ideological, political, and religious reasons", attempting to disconnect narcoterrorism from that category.
This decision, considered one of the most decisive measures from Washington against South American crime, was communicated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who confirmed that the formal inclusion in the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) will take effect on June 5. According to the State Department, these structures represent a direct threat due to their links with drug trafficking, money laundering, and smuggling.
The administration of Donald Trump stated that it will use all tools to cut off funding for these groups that control thousands of members and are responsible for attacks against police, officials, and civilians. For the White House, this is part of a strategy to weaken organizations that benefit from drug, arms, and human trafficking. Lula da Silva described it as "regrettable" that members of the Bolsonaro family travel to the United States to advocate for what he calls "foreign intervention", even labeling those seeking international solutions against crime as "traitors" and "false patriots".
On the contrary, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro revealed that he himself urged Donald Trump to take this measure, distinguishing himself from the leftist leader: "While Lula was going to beg Trump not to declare them terrorists, I did exactly the opposite". This alignment between Trump and Brazilian conservatives underscores the real commitment against crime that Lula's dictatorship is trying to hinder under legal pretexts.
This coexistence allowed criminals to adopt methods of internal discipline and command structures from the extreme left to expand their violence. Today, Lula tries to defend his administration by mentioning a law with sentences of up to 80 years in prison and a program called "Brazil Against Organized Crime", but his true concern seems to be the impact that these sanctions would have on the financial system and PIX.
Finally, while the U.S. government warns that these criminal networks have an impact even within the territory of the U.S., Lula's regime clings to the rhetoric that "national sovereignty is non-negotiable" to reject any "external interference".
The Brazilian dictator even stated that unilateral measures could "weaken the fight against crime", despite the reality showing that the PCC and the CV have thrived under his watch. For the Brazilian right and the Trump administration, the message is clear: there will be no borders in combating those who sow terror on the continent.
