By Evaristo Lara
The First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command (CV), the most violent criminal groups in Brazil, were classified by the Trump administration as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).
According to a statement issued by the State Department, both crime cartels have more than 50,000 members together and their presence extends throughout several South American countries and even reaches US territory.
“The Department of State designates Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) and intends to designate both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), effective June 5, 2026.
CV and PCC are two of the most violent criminal organizations in Brazil. Together, they have thousands of members and have orchestrated brutal attacks against Brazilian police, public officials and civilians. Their influence and illicit networks extend far beyond the borders of Brazil, throughout our region and within our country,” part of the letter indicates.
The position adopted by the White House to label Brazilian criminal groups allegedly arose after a meeting in Washington between Flávio Bolsonaro, a conservative Brazilian senator, and Donald Trump.
In fact, it is said that Bolsonaro himself expressly asked the seventy-nine-year-old Republican to formally designate his country’s gangs as terrorist entities.
“The action taken by the State Department once again demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and criminal organizations in our region and ensuring the security of the American people,” the document indicates.
